In Search of Healthful and Non-Toxic Dog Foods – Kibble (Part 2)

 

Note: This post contains affiliate links and I may receive a small amount of compensation if you make a purchase after clicking on some of these links.

This page is part of an article series looking at toxicity in dog foods. Here are links to the articles in the series that have been released so far.  

Kibble – Part 1 (A-E)

Kibble – Part 2 (I-Z)

Cocoa Ratings

 

September 25, 2021

By Lisa Petrison

For background information on dog kibble relevant to the brands listed on this page, please go to the link  “Kibble – Part 1 (A-E).” 

 

FARMINA

Living Clean Rating: 5 Stars (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Ancestral Grains, Prime, Pumpkin, Ocean, Quinoa, VetLife

Cost Per Day: $1.00-$1.50

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: New Zealand pastured lamb; Italian cage-free chicken; Italian wild boar; wild-caught sea fish

Meat Quantity: High/Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Spelt/Oats

Grain-Free Starches: Sweet Potatoes/Legumes or Legumes/Pumpkin or Legumes/Quinoa

Starch Quality: Sourced from Italy and stated focus on mycotoxin testing

Glyphosate Risk: Low

Mycotoxin Risk: Low

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Rosemary, Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family

Location: Italy

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 4-5 Stars (Ancestral Grains, Prime), 4 Stars (Pumpkin), 3-5 Stars (Ocean), 3 Stars (Quinoa)

Summary: This line of foods is produced in Italy where glyphosate is not used as a pre-harvest desiccant and where more stringent mycotoxin testing is mandated. Pastured meats (including New Zealand lamb), cage-free poultry and wild-caught fish are used. All versions may be worth trying, though (due to the use of minimal preservatives and high meat/fat content) the products may have a high potential of going rancid and should be used up quickly once the bag is opened.

 

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

I have observed that when people who are focused on raw feeding or natural dog raising are asked about kibble, they usually state that Farmina is one of the best choices or the only acceptable choice.

The meat or fish sources in most of Farmina’s foods consist of free-range Italian chicken and eggs; pastured New Zealand lamb; wild Italian boar (sourced from Tuscany and Umbria); and wild-caught cod and herring from the North Sea.

The company’s website states:

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.

Consumer products are sold under the name N&D (“Natural & Delicious”). There also is a line designed to help with health issues, called VetLife.

The Natural & Delicious lines include Ancestral Grains (with oats and spelt as the binders); Prime (with sweet potatoes and pea fiber); Pumpkin (with peas and pumpkin); and Quinoa (with peas and quinoa).

Fish-based foods in the Ocean line contain either the Prime, the Pumpkin or the Ancestral Grains binders.

The percentage of animal-based ingredients is stated as being 60% for the Ancestral Grains line and 70% for the Prime line.

All of the non-meat ingredients in the products are stated as being non-GMO.

No corn, wheat, soy, animal meals, animal by-products or artificial colors/flavors/preservatives are used in the products.

Although Farmina is rumored to have factories in other countries such as Brazil and Serbia, the main factory is in Italy. Bags that I have on hand list IT 00 10 10 (which I suppose means Italy) as the factory registration number.

A company representative told me that with the exception of the New Zealand lamb, all ingredients for the products are sourced from Europe.

The representative stated that the oats and spelt in the company’s Ancestral Grains formulas are grown in Italy, where glyphosate is never (to my understanding) used as a pre-harvest desiccant.

All of the Farmina recipes are sold in both Mini and Medium/Maxi versions. The ingredients are the same in both versions, with the only difference being the kibble size.

Although Farmina kibbles are now among Cocoa’s favorite foods (along with Bil-Jac and certain products from Royal Canin and Diamond Naturals), it took us a while to get to this point.

One of the first foods I purchased for him back in 2019 was Farmina Prime, which at the time included regular potatoes as the main binder.

He refused to eat even one bite of that food.

Eventually I realized that he detests potatoes in general and had him try the Farmina Ancestral Grains Lamb Puppy and the Farmina Ancestral Grains Chicken Puppy versions, both of which he has been willing to eat.

Both versions contain 35% protein, 20% fat, and no legumes.

The main ingredients in the lamb version are lamb, dehydrated lamb, spelt, oats, eggs, fresh herring, dehydrated herring, chicken fat, herring oil, beet pulp, carrots, alfalfa, inulin, fructooligosaccharides, yeast extract and blueberry.

The chicken version has virtually the same ingredients except for the type of meat.

Cocoa also likes the Farmina Cod, Spelt, Oats & Orange adult dog food. The main ingredients are cod, dehydrated cod, herring oil, spelt, oats, beet pulp, carrots, alfalfa meal, inulin,  fructooligosaccharides, yeast extract, sweet orange, apple, pomegranate, spinach, psyllium and blueberry,

Apparently Farmina is now in agreement with Cocoa that potatoes are not the best ingredient for dog food, since they recently replaced the potatoes in the entire Prime line with sweet potatoes (leaving the rest of the recipes basically unchanged).

Cocoa has tried the new Farmina Prime Lamb and Farmina Prime Wild Boar products and apparently likes those just fine.

The main ingredients in the lamb version are lamb, dehydrated lamb, sweet potatoes, eggs, herring, dehydrated herring, chicken fat, herring oil, pea fiber, dried carrot, alfalfa, inulin, fructooligosaccharide, yeast extract, blueberry, apple, pomegranate, sweet orange, spinach, and psyllium seed husk. It contains 34% protein and 18% fat.

The wild boar version is very similar but contains wild boar and chicken instead of the lamb.

Cocoa will eat the Farmina Ocean Herring & Orange version but is less enthusiastic about that. The main ingredients are herring, dehydrated herring, sweet potatoes, herring oil, eggs, pea fiber, dried carrot, alfalfa meal, inulin, fructooligosaccharide, yeast extract, sweet orange, pomegranate, apple, spinach, psyllium and blueberry.

Cocoa also tried the Farmina Pumpkin Lamb Puppy version. The main ingredients are lamb, dehydrated lamb, pea starch, chicken fat, dehydrated herring, dried pumpkin, herring, dried whole eggs, herring oil, pea fiber, dried carrot, suncured alfalfa meal, chicken cartilage, inulin, fructooligosaccharide, yeast extract, dried blueberry, dried spinach, psyllium seed husk, dried apple, dried sweet orange and dried pomegranate, with 35% protein and 20% fat.

While Cocoa has been willing to eat this one too, he has seemed a little less enthusiastic about it than he has been about the Farmina Ancestral Grains and new Farmina Prime foods (probably because in general he likes legumes less than clean grains or sweet potatoes).

The Farmina Quinoa foods contain relatively low levels of protein and fat, with either lamb, herring, quail, venison or duck as the animal protein source. Versions are available for Digestion, for Skin And Coat, and for Weight Management.

Cocoa has somewhat reluctantly been willing to eat the Farmina Quinoa Skin & Coat Quail formula, which contains 23% protein and 12% fat. The main ingredients are quail, dehydrated quail, pea starch, herring oil, quinoa seed, linseed, dried coconut, turmeric, inulin, fructooligosaccharide, yeast extract and psyllium.

Although I have not found any information about how the quail, venison and duck used in the Farmina Quinoa products are raised, I am hoping that it is according to principles similar to those used with the other meats.

All in all, I tend to think that for most people and most dogs, Farmina likely is an option worth considering.

The only negative (other than the relatively high price) that I see is that most of the Farmina foods seem to have the potential of going rancid relatively quickly, due to their containing higher-than-usual amounts of animal protein/fat and minimal preservatives.

I suggest that unless people have extra freezer space to devote to storing dog kibble that they consider buying relatively small bags that they will be able to finish off within, say, a month or so after opening (or less time if living in an usually warm environment).

Although many of the Farmina kibble versions are now available through Chewy, I have sometimes ordered from the Farmina website instead since it seems like the food may be fresher that way.

 

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Buy From Farmina

 

Cocoa Approved

Farmina Ancestral Grain Puppy Mini Lamb: 5 Stars

Farmina Ocean Mini Cod, Spelt & Oats: 5 Stars

Farmina Prime Grain-Free Mini Boar: 5 Stars

Farmina Prime Grain-Free Mini Lamb: 5 Stars

Farmina Ancestral Grain Puppy Mini Chicken: 4 Stars

Farmina Pumpkin Grain-Free Puppy Mini Lamb: 4 Stars

Farmina Ocean Grain-Free Herring & Orange: 3 Stars

Farmina Quinoa Grain-Free Quail Skin & Coat: 3 Stars

 

Dog Food Advisor

Farmina N&D Ancestral Grains: 5 Stars

Farmina N&D Prime: 5 Stars

Farmina N&D Pumpkin: 5 Stars

 

Farmina Ancestral Grain Lamb Puppy

Cost (5.5 lb): $25

Cost Per Day: $1.14

35% protein, 20% fat, 9% moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Dehydrated Lamb, Whole Spelt, Whole Oats, Chicken Fat, Herring, Dehydrated Herring, Dried Whole Eggs, Dried Beet Pulp, Herring Oil, Dried Carrot, Suncured Alfalfa Meal, Chicken Cartilage (Source Of Glucosamine Hydrochloride And Chondroitin Sulfate), Inulin, Fructooligosaccharide, Yeast Extract, Dried Blueberry, Dried Spinach, Psyllium Seed Husk, Dried Apple, Dried Sweet Orange, Dried Pomegranate, Salt, Brewers Dried Yeast, Turmeric, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Beta-Carotene, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Ferrous Glycine, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Selenium Yeast, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Aloe Vera Gel Concentrate, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (A Preservative)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0

Cocoa Rating: 4.0

 

Farmina N&D Prime Chicken & Pomegranate

Cost (5.5 lb): $29

Cost Per Day: $1.32

34% protein, 18% fat, 9% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Dehydrated Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Fat, Dried Whole Eggs, Herring, Dehydrated Herring, Herring Oil, Pea Fiber, Dried Carrots, Sun-Cured Alfalfa Meal, Inulin, Fructooligosaccharides, Yeast Extract, Dried Pomegranate, Dried Apple, Dried Spinach, Psyllium Seed Husk, Dried Sweet Orange, Dried Blueberry, Salt, Brewers Dried Yeast, Turmeric, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Beta-Carotene, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Ferrous Glycine, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Selenium Yeast, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Aloe Vera Gel Concentrate, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (A Preservative).

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0

 

Farmina N&D Pumpkin Grain-Free Boar

Cost (5.5 lb): $28

Cost Per Day: $1.27

30% protein, 18% fat, 9% moisture

Ingredients: Wild boar, dehydrated wild boar, pea starch, chicken fat, dried pumpkin, dried whole eggs, herring oil, pea fiber, dried carrot, suncured alfalfa meal, inulin, fructooligosaccharide, yeast extract, dried apple, dried spinach, psyllium seed husk, dried pomegranate, dried sweet orange, dried blueberry, salt, brewers dried yeast, turmeric, glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid, niacin, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, choline chloride, beta-carotene, zinc methionine hydroxy analogue chelate, manganese methionine hydroxy analogue chelate, ferrous glycine, copper methionine hydroxy analogue chelate, selenium yeast, DL-Methionine, taurine, L-Carnitine, aloe vera gel concentrate, green tea extract, rosemary extract, mixed tocopherols (a preservative).

 

FIRST MATE/KASIKS

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Sub-Brands: First Mate, Kasiks

Cost Per Day: $0.90-$1.40

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: Wild-caught fish; free-range lamb (some from Australia); cage-free chicken/turkey

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Oats/Brown Rice or Oats/Brown Rice/Barley/Potato

Grain-Free Starches: Potato or Legumes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), High/Low (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Calcium Propionate

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family

Location: Canada

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not rated

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Summary: First Mate and Kasiks foods contain moderate amounts of free-range lamb, cage-free chicken and wild-caught fish. However, all grain-inclusive foods contain oats (which are likely to be contaminated with glyphosate). Grain-free versions contain either legumes (more risky with regard to glyphosate since this is a Canadian brand) or potatoes (which may be problematic for some dogs).

 

First Mate is a Canadian company that began making dog food in 1989 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, cage-free chicken/turkey and pastured lamb.

Although it sounds like the animal proteins in the foods may be quite good, I am concerned that the oats (used in all the grain-inclusive varieties) and the legumes (used in the Kasiks grain-free varieties) may be contaminated with glyphosate.

This is even more of a concern for me than with most dog kibble since this company is located in Canada (where glyphosate seems to be used routinely as a pre-harvest desiccant on both oats and legumes).

The First Mate “grain-friendly” foods all contain oats and rice as the binders. Most of these products contain only moderate protein and fat levels (around 25% and 12%).

The First Mate High Performance dog food is higher in protein and fats (32% and 20%) and is sold only in 33-pound bags. The main ingredients are chicken meal, Pacific Ocean fish meal, oatmeal, chicken fat, barley, brown rice, potato flour, fish oil, cranberries, blueberries and raspberries.

I don’t think Cocoa would eat that food due to the presence of non-organic oats as well as potatoes.

The Kasisks foods contain a variety of legumes (including chickpeas and lentils). The products are quite low in both protein and fat (around 25% and 12%), suggesting to me that the amount of meat in these products is relatively low.

The First Mate Limited Ingredient Diet formulas contain potatoes as the only binder ingredient. These foods also have low levels of protein and fat (around 24% and 13%).

I have become suspicious about whether it is a good idea to have potatoes be a primary food source for dogs in general and so probably wouldn’t use this food even if I owned a dog that was willing to eat potatoes.

Cocoa has not tried these foods because I feel fairly sure that he would not eat any of them.

Although the stated meat quality of the foods is appealing to me, the likely problems with the binders in all of the foods as well as the apparent low quantity of meat in most of the foods make me think that I probably wouldn’t bother with the current versions for a new dog either.

I would be very interested in trying a new version with less problematic binders and a higher meat content, however.

 

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Buy From Only Natural

Visit First Mate

 

First Mate LID Australian Lamb

Cost (5 lb): $28

Cost Per Day: $1.40

24% Protein, 13% Fat, 10% Moisture

Ingredients: Potato, Lamb Meal, Tomato Pomace, Chicken Fat, Potassium Chloride, Dl-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Calcium Propionate (Preservative), Blueberries, Raspberries, Cranberries, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Iodine, Cobalt Carbonate, Selenium Yeast), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin, Niacin, D-Pantothenic Acid, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, Yeast Extract (a Source of Prebiotics) Glucosamine Hydrochloride.

 

Kasiks Free Run Grain-Free Chicken

Cost (5 lb): $15

Cost Per Day: $0.94

25% Protein, 12% Fat, 10% Moisture

Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Chickpeas, Red Lentils, Green Lentils, Green Peas, Yellow Peas, Pea Starch, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato Pomace, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sodium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Minerals: (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate, Selenium Yeast), Vitamins: (Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Dl-Methionine, Calcium Propionate (a Preservative), Yeast Extract (a Source of Prebiotics), Blueberries, Raspberries, Cranberries, Rosemary Extract, Coconut, Kale, Glucosamine Hydrochloride.

 

FROMM

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-free), 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Sub-Brands: Gold, Four-Star Nutritionals, Classic

Cost Per Day: $0.70-$0.90

Type: Pet Store

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Moderate/Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Oats/Barley/Sweet Potatoes/Rice or Sorghum/Barley/Oats

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes or Legumes/Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: High/Moderate (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Sorbic Acid

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Family (Fromm Family Foods)

Location: U.S. (Wisconsin)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0-4.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive), 1-2 Stars (grain-free)

Summary: Fromm kibbles apparently include all conventional ingredients. Grain-inclusive products all include oats/sorghum (and thus likely are contaminated with glyphosate). All grain-free versions contain legumes and most also contain potatoes (which may not be appropriate for all dogs).

 

Fromm Family Foods is a family-owned pet food company located in Mequon, Wisconsin.

Fromm (which was founded in 1904) takes credit for developing the first canine and feline distemper vaccines (introduced in 1939) and the first complete and balanced dry dog food (introduced in 1949).

The company’s products are sold primarily through independent retailers and through the “Go Fromm” website. They are not available through Chewy or other large retail chains.

A benefit stressed to consumers is that the many different products make it is easy to give dogs variety in their diets, since switching from one formula to another within the company’s lines does not require easing into it as is usually recommended when transitioning from one food to another.

I’ve not found any information at all about the quality of the meat being used in the products and so am guessing that this is purely conventional factory-farmed meat.

Binders also appear to be conventional and all varieties of both the grain-free and grain-inclusive varieties include ingredients likely to be contaminated with glyphosate.

The starches used include oats, sorghum, legumes, potatoes, barley, sweet potatoes and rice.

With regard to probiotics, the Fromm website states:

Helpful microorganisms (certain species of bacteria and yeast) live in the intestines of dogs and cats. Probiotics are supplements that contain these “good” bacteria and yeast and boost their numbers in the gut. To maximize your pet’s health and wellbeing, Fromm pet food recipes are supplemented with both probiotics and prebiotics.

I managed to obtain half a dozen samples of Fromm grain-inclusive kibble products and put them out for Cocoa to try on several occasions.

He tried a few pieces of some of the flavors the first time I put them out and then refused to eat any more of the foods.

With some of the other flavors (including the Ancient Gold one containing sorghum as the main binder ingredient), he refused to eat any of the food at all.

Cocoa also has tried a few grain-free kibbles from Fromm.

One was the Fromm Grain-Free Four Star Chicken Au Frommage. It contains the main ingredients of chicken, chicken meal, chickpeas, lentils, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, egg, tomato pomace, chicken fat, cheese, flaxseed, salmon oil, chicken liver, pears, apples and broccoli, with 26% protein and 16% fat.

Cocoa ate a handful of the food on two separate occasions but then after that refused the food. It actually was a real surprise that he ate the food at all since it contains some potatoes (which usually he appears to detest).

Perhaps he was enticed by the smell of the cheese (which is one of his favorite foods) to give it a try.

Cocoa subsequently tried two other Fromm foods – the Fromm Grain-Free Lamb & Lentil (which contains no potatoes or other ingredients that Cocoa will never eat) and the Fromm Grain-Free Salmon Tunalini – and refused to eat either of them.

I might try to obtain some samples of the Fromm grain-free food to try with a new dog if I had the chance, but it certainly would not be at the top of my list of things to try.

 

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Buy From Go Fromm

Visit Fromm

 

Dog Food Advisor

Fromm Dog Food: 4.5 Stars

Fromm Four Star Grain-Free: 4.5 Stars

Fromm Family Classics: 4.0 Stars

Fromm Four Star: 4.0 Stars

 

Recalls

Vitamin D (2016)

 

Fromm Four-Star Chicken A La Veg

Cost (5 lb): $15

Cost Per Day: $0.75

24% protein, 15% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth, chicken meal, oat groats, pearled barley, sweet potatoes, brown rice, white rice, dried egg product, menhaden fish meal, whole oats, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried tomato pomace, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), whole barley, millet, cheese, flaxseed, potatoes, chicken liver, carrots, apples, broccoli, celery, salt, monosodium phosphate, potassium chloride, chicory root extract, Vitamins [vitamin A acetate, Vitamin D3 supplement, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin B12 supplement, choline bitartrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin], Minerals [zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, magnesium sulfate, copper sulfate, cobalt carbonate, calcium iodate, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, magnesium proteinate, cobalt proteinate], chicken cartilage, cranberries, yucca schidigera extract, sorbic acid (preservative), blueberries, sodium selenite, taurine, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium longum fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5

Cocoa Rating: 2

 

Fromm Heartland Gold Grain-Free

Cost (4 lb): $13.50

Cost Per Day: $0.84

24% protein, 16% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Beef, pork meat meal, peas, lentils, chickpeas, potatoes, dried tomato pomace, pork liver, pork fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried whole egg, flaxseed, cheese, pea flour, lamb, brewers dried yeast, alfalfa meal, carrots, lettuce, celery, potassium chloride, salt, chicory root extract, yucca schidigera extract, taurine, dl-methionine, l-tryptophan, sodium selenite, sorbic acid (preservative), Vitamins [vitamin A acetate, Vitamin D3 supplement, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin B12 supplement, choline bitartrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin], Minerals [zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, magnesium sulfate, copper sulfate, cobalt carbonate, calcium iodate, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, magnesium proteinate, cobalt proteinate], dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium longum fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product.

 

GATHER

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-free), 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Cost Per Day: $1.50

Type: Organic, Vegan

Meat Quality: Organic free-run chicken; wild Alaskan cod

Meat Quantity: Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Legumes/Barley/Oats/Potatoes/Quinoa

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes

Starches Quality: Mostly certified organic (except lentils)

Glyphosate Risk: Moderate

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family (Petcurean)

Location: Canada

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Summary: Grain-free versions of Gather consist largely of legumes (most certified organic) as well as small amounts of organic chicken or line-caught cod. The grain-inclusive version is a vegan food.

 

Gather is a family-owned Canadian company that seems especially concerned with organic ingredient quality and animal welfare.

The company makes three kibble products: Free Acres (using organic chicken); Wild Ocean (using line-caught cod); and Endless Valley (a vegan food).

Many of the non-meat ingredients in the foods are organic.

The company also states that they went to a good deal of trouble to find a “handful of farmers, growers and fishers who were practicing the responsible, sustainable production of extraordinary quality, certified and organic ingredients.”

The foods include organic free-run chicken; MSC-certified wild-line-caught Alaskan cod; certified organic and sustainably grown peas; and MSC-certified and sustainably harvested krill.

In addition, the products are stated as including no wheat, corn or soy; no GMO’s; no by-products or rendered ingredients; no animals raised with antibiotics or added growth hormones; and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives,

Although the foods sound good in theory, the customer reviews that I have seen have not been very favorable.

Many reviews suggest that both the chicken and fish versions have a strong smell, which I suspect is due to the use of krill meal.

Both fish meal and krill meal have a particular tendency to go rancid over time. This seems to me that it could be a particular issue with food like Gather that is not very popular, since there could be potential for it to sit in a warehouse for a relatively long period of time (and which could be contributing to the reports of an unpleasant smell).

The Endless Valley vegan food (which I would not suggest using) contains a combination of legumes, barley, oats, potatoes and quinoa.

The Free Acres (chicken) and Wild Ocean (fish) versions of the food both include legumes as the only binder sources, meaning that the listed 30/15 percentages of protein/fat are not necessarily that reassuring to me in terms of the products containing a high percentage of meat.

When I wrote to the company and asked them to tell me the amount of protein in the products that came from meat, this was their response:

I am sorry but the information you are looking for is not available. Ingredients are merely vessels for nutrients and to this end, we focus on the proper balance of nutrients like the amino acids that protein provides. These amino acids can come from plant proteins or meat proteins, so as long as they are provided in adequate amounts with proper balance, it doesn’t matter where they come from. This is why it is possible to feed a dog a balanced and nutrient appropriate vegan recipe. Petcurean recipes are meat based with the exception of our Gather Endless Valley vegan recipe, and all are high in the digestibility range of 85%. Our recipes are formulated by our team of passionate qualified nutritionists who hold many degrees in animal nutrition. 

Personally, I do not agree with the perspective that “ingredients are merely vessels for nutrients” because I believe that there are likely a wide variety of components of whole foods that have yet to be discovered and studied by “food scientists” that are nonetheless important to long-run animal (and human) health.

While people may choose to purchase an expensive dog food containing low amounts of animal protein (or even a vegan dog food) if they wish, my dog thus far seems to have shown a strong preference for foods containing high percentages of quality animal protein.

My belief is that my dog’s intuition about what is good for him is likely much more accurate than are the conclusions of “qualified nutritionists.”

The fact that the 2018 FDA report suggested that dog foods containing high percentages of legumes were associated with heart disease issues adds to my concerns.

While Dog Food Advisor estimates that Gather contains “notable amounts of meat,” I still am doubtful that the content is high enough for Cocoa to be willing to eat it.

I also am concerned that the ingredient list makes it seem that the lentils in the products are non-organic since the Canadian freedom-of-information study suggests that these often are contaminated with high levels of glyphosate.

Unfortunately, trying these products requires quite a bit of investment since no free samples are available and since the smallest bags cost more than $35.

Although I would like to have Cocoa try the products so that he can evaluate them, at this point they would not be on my priority list to try with another dog.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Gather: 5 Stars

 

Gather Free Acres Organic Chicken

Cost (6 lb): $36

Cost Per Day: $1.50

30% protein, 15% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Organic Chicken, Organic Dehydrated Chicken, Organic Peas, Lentils, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Krill Meal, Organic Flaxseed, Blueberries, Cranberries, Egg Shell Meal, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Inositol, Niacin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (A Source Of Vitamin C), D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Selenium Yeast), Dried Rosemary.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0

 

Gather Endless Valley Vegan

Cost (6 lb): $41

Cost Per Day: $1.71

22% protein, 11% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Organic Peas, Organic Barley, Organic Oats, Lentils, Organic Sunflower Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Potatoes, Quinoa, Organic Flaxseed, Primary Dried Yeast, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Vegetable Flavoring, Blueberries, Cranberries, Carrots, Choline Chloride, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D2 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (A Source Of Vitamin C), D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Selenium Yeast), Taurine, Dl-Methionine, L-Lysine, Dried Rosemary.

 

HALO

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-free), 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Cost Per Day: $1.30-$1.50

Type: Super-Premium, Vegan

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

Meat Quantity: Moderate/Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Oats/Barley/Legumes/Soy or Legumes/Barley/Oats/Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes/Soy/Sweet Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional non-GMO

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Better Choice Company

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Summary: Halo is a company concerned primarily about animal welfare and the foods contain low amounts of ethically sourced meats (with a vegan version also available). Grain-inclusive versions all conain oats (and therefore likely are contaminaed wih glyphosate. Grain-free versions contain legumes, soy and sweet potatoes. If the grain-free versions are used, it seems wise to supplement with substantial amounts of extra meat since the animal protein content is low.

 

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 dog food.

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.

With regard to their plant-based ingredients, Halo writes the following:

Cocoa tried the Halo Chicken & Chicken Liver Small Breed food. The main ingredients are chicken, chicken liver, dried egg product, dried peas, oatmeal, pearled barley, pea protein, soy protein concentrate, chicken fat, flaxseed, pea fiber, and natural flavor.

Cocoa refused to eat any of this food.

I am guessing that the reason is that the oatmeal was contaminated with glyphosate, but it is hard to know for sure.

Cocoa also was offered the Halo Small Breed Grain-Free Game Bird Medley. The main ingredients are turkey, dried egg product, chickpeas, lentils, peas, duck, soy protein concentrate, chicken fat, sweet potatoes, natural flavor, dicalcium phosphate, flaxseed, goose and salmon oil. It contains 27% protein and 17% fat.

Cocoa would not eat any of this food either.

My guess is that this was due to the low meat percentage and possibly also to some kind of toxicity issue.

Although the high quality of the meat that is stated to be present in these foods is appealing, I don’t think that I would buy kibble from this company again due to the low meat quantity that is used and to my concerns about toxicity issues.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Halo:  3.5 Stars

 

Halo Holistic Chicken

Cost (4 lb): $22

Cost Per Day: $1.38

25% protein, 15% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Product, Oatmeal, Pearled Barley, Dried Peas, Dried Chickpeas, Soy Protein Concentrate, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Pea fiber, Natural flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Blueberries, Dried Cranberries, Dried Carrots, Dried Sweet Potatoes, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Dried Golden Algae, Inulin, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin), Potassium Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Methionine Complex, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide), Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative).

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.0

 

Halo Holistic Small Breed Grain-Free Game Bird

Cost (4 lb): $23

Cost Per Day: $1.44

27% protein, 17% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Turkey, Dried Egg Product, Dried Chickpeas, Dried Lentils, Dried Peas, Duck, Soy Protein Concentrate, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Sweet Potatoes, Natural flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Flaxseed, Goose, Salmon Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Calcium Sulfate, Pea Protein, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Salt, Pea fiber, Dried Blueberries, Dried Cranberries, Dried Carrots, Calcium Carbonate, Inulin, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin), Potassium Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), L-Carnitine.

 

Halo Garden of Vegan

Cost (4 lb): $23

Cost Per Day: $1.44

20% protein, 10% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Green Peas, Chickpeas, Pearled Barley, Oat Groats, Pea Protein, Whole Flaxseed, Sunflower Oil, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Potato, Sweet Potato, Alfalfa Meal, Carrot, Celery, Beets, Parsley, Lettuce, Watercress, Spinach, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Dicalcium Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate, Dried Kelp, Natural Vegetable Flavors, Flaxseed Oil, Carrots, Dried Apple, Dried Blueberry, Dried Cranberry, Chicory Root, Taurine, Rosemary Extract, L-Carnitine, Potassium Chloride, DL Methionine, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D-2 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Folic Acid), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Cobalt Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Ethylene Diamine Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite).

 

HILL’S

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-inclusive)

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

Cost Per Day: $0.80-$1.10

Type: Veterinary

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Moderate/Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Barley/Wheat/Corn/Sorghum/Soy or Rice/Legumes/Barley/Sorghum

Grain-Free Starches: No Products

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High

Mycotoxin Risk: High

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Colgate-Palmolive

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 2.5-4.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 2 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Hill’s is a veterinary brand (owned by Colgate-Palmolive) that possibly may use somewhat more stringent mycotoxin testing than many dog foods. However, all ingredients appear to be conventionally produced and all versions contain ingredients (sorghum and in some cases wheat) likely to be contaminated with glyphosate.

 

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.

More than 500 dogs serve as taste testers for the company’s products in its Kansas headquarters.

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.

Although meat is listed as the first ingredient on most of Hill’s products, quite a few different non-meat ingredients (such as rice, peas, barley, sorghum, corn, wheat and/or soybeans) also are mentioned on each list.

Dog Food Advisor estimates that most of the Hill’s products contain only a moderate amount of meat.

Considering the low meat content in the foods, the following comment from the Hill’s website insisting that dogs be fed only their food without any supplemental meat seems particularly problematic to me:

We do not recommend feeding people food or table scraps. Veterinarians strongly believe that feeding pets table scraps or “people” food can lead to excesses or deficiencies of nutrients in your pet’s nutrition which over time may lead to health problems for your pet (like obesity). Feeding table scraps or “people” food can also result in a more finicky pet.

My own feeling is that having a more finicky pet is desirable since dogs are better than humans at detecting whether food is toxic or not, when given half a chance.

Forcing them to eat what I would consider prison rations consisting mostly of grains that are contaminated with toxicity without ever giving them any other food at all seems to me to be terribly unkind and bad for their long-term health.

When I asked a Hill’s representative how the company made certain that their products were free of mycotoxin contamination, they gave me a non-answer answer and directed me to a website page that also failed to supply any specific information about the topic:

Hi Lisa, we maintain the highest standards of quality control for our manufacturing facilities, our ingredients, and our finished products. Ingredients in our products are subject to microbiological, sensory, chemical and foreign matter testing to protect your pet and give you peace of mind. Hill’s only buys ingredients from suppliers whose facilities meet stringent raw material quality standards. To learn more about our Quality and Safety standards please visit https://www.hillspet.com/about-us/quality-and-safety.

The fact that the food is relatively high-priced despite being comprised of ingredients that are typically quite inexpensive makes the situation even more problematic, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, as far as I have been able to ascertain, all Hill’s varieties include binders (such as oats, wheat or sorghum) that are typically very high in glyphosaste contamination.

I purchased the Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Small Bites Chicken & Barley formula for Cocoa to try.

The main ingredients are chicken meal, whole grain wheat, cracked pearled barley, whole grain sorghum, whole grain corn, chicken fat, corn gluten meal, chicken liver flavor, dried beet pulp, pork liver flavor, fish oil, flaxseed, lactic acid and soybean oil. It has 25% protein and 15% fat.

Cocoa seemed somewhat positive about the food at first and ate a small handful of it on two different occasions. Since then, he has refused to eat the food at all.

My guess is that this food contains a moderate amount of glyphosate and moderate levels of mycotoxins, but that Cocoa was temporarily distracted from this due to the attractive flavor enhancers that Hill’s adds to the food.

I would want to make sure that I was supplementing with plenty of high-quality meat if I fed this food regularly since the protein content in it is relatively low.

Cocoa later tried Hill’s Bioactive Fit + Radiant Chicken & Barley Adult Small Breed food. The main ingredients are chicken, cracked pearled barley, pea protein, brown rice, dried beet pulp, dried tomato pomace, pea fiber, powdered cellulose, brewers rice, chicken meal, chicken liver flavor, flaxseed, and coconut oil.

Cocoa would not eat this food at all.

I would be disinclined to buy Hill’s for another dog because it looks to me like all the versions that they make are going to be contaminated with glyphosate and also may have other toxic issues.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy: 4.5 Stars

Hill’s Healthy Advantage: 4 Stars

Hill’s Science Diet Perfect Weight: 3.5 Stars

Hill’s Science Diet Grain-Free: 3.5 Stars

Hill’s Science Diet: 3 Stars

Hill’s Ideal Balance: 2.5 Stars

 

Recalls

Vitamin D (2019)

Salmonella (2014)

 

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach

Cost (4 lb): $17

Cost Per Day: $1.06

21% protein, 12% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Brewers Rice, Chicken Meal, Yellow Peas, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Sorghum, Egg Product, Chicken Fat, Soybean Oil, Brown Rice, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Liver Flavor, Lactic Acid, Pork Liver Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Flaxseed, Iodized Salt, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Oat Fiber, Natural Flavors, Beta-Carotene, Apples, Broccoli, Carrots, Cranberries, Green Peas.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0

 

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Chicken

Cost (5 lb): $17

Cost Per Day: $0.85

20% protein, 11.5% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Corn, Whole Grain Sorghum, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Chicken Fat, Brewers Rice, Chicken Liver Flavor, Chicken Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil, Pork Flavor, Lactic Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Oat Fiber, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Natural Flavors, Beta-Carotene, Apples, Broccoli, Carrots, Cranberries, Green Peas.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 2.5

 

HOUND & GATOS

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Cost Per Day: $1.70-$1.90

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: Australian grass-fed lamb; cage-free chicken/turkey

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Sweet Potato/Spelt/Quinoa/Tapioca/Oats

Grain-Free Starches: Sweet Potato/Tapioca

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Low (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not Mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family (Gott Pet Products)

Location: U.S. (Wisconsin)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not Rated

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Summary: Hound & Gatos is a high-end dog kibble using ample amounts of grass-fed lamb or cage-free chicken. However, all versions include tapioca (a new and possibly suspect dog food ingredient) and the grain-inclusive version also includes oats (which may be contaminated with glyphosate).

 

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

The protein sources consist of cage-free chicken from Minnesota; cage-free turkey from South Dakota; and grass-fed lamb from Australia.

The kibble is stated as containing at least 84% of the protein from animal sources, with no peas, lentils, chickpeas, white potatoes, corn, wheat, soy, meat by-products, or artificial flavors/colors/preservatives included.

The binders for the grain-free products consist of sweet potato, tapioca and flaxseed.

The binders for the grain-inclusive products consist of sweet potato, spelt, quinoa, tapioca and oats.

The oats (which are way down on the ingredients list in the grain-inclusive version) have the potential of being contaminated with glyphosate.

However, the main problem that I see with these products is the use of tapioca, which seems to have become a trendy ingredient in dog foods just over the past couple of years since the FDA report on dilated cardiomyopathy suggested that peas and potatoes in foods may be problematic.

Tapioca has not previously been used to any large extent as a food for dogs and so I do not see this as an ingredient that necessarily has been proven to be safe for them.

Hound & Gatos states on their website, “Tapioca is a natural root vegetable that is high in dietary fiber and starch. It is safely consumed by over 500 million people around the world every day.”

Just because humans can safely consume tapioca does not necessarily mean that it is okay for dogs, however.

While I don’t think that tapioca is as acutely poisonous for dogs as, say, onions or chocolate, consuming large amounts of it on a daily basis over an extended period of time seems to me to have the potential of causing harm that we have yet to understand.

The fact that my own dog has rejected both potatoes (which contain solanine) and tapioca (which contains cyanide) so categorically suggests to me that perhaps they are not the best foods for dogs in general.

I also would be interested in knowing what manufacturing company is producing Hound & Gatos kibble, since this might provide some additional insight into the expected quality.

Cocoa tried two Hound & Gatos kibbles before I realized how strongly he disliked tapioca.

He ate a few pieces of the Hound & Gatos Ancient Grains Grassfed Lamb formula and then gave up on it.

He did not eat any of the Hound & Gatos Grain-Free Cage-Free Chicken at all.

Still, it looks like the tapioca levels in the grain-inclusive product may be low enough that I conceivably might consider feeding it to another dog at least some of the time, if the dog appeared to prefer it to other relatively healthy food.

I would be more hesitant about feeding much of the grain-free version to any dog since the tapioca levels in that one seem to be higher.

If Hound & Gatos were to remove the tapioca from these products (and also to either eliminate the oats or use organic oats in the grain-inclusive versions), then I would be very interested in having Cocoa try them again.

 

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Hound & Gatos Ancient Grain Grass-Fed Lamb

Cost (4 lb): $29

Cost Per Day: $1.81

27% Protein, 19% Fat, 10% Moisture

Ingredients:

Deboned Lamb, Egg, Sweet Potato, Lamb Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Spelt, Quinoa, Tapioca, Whole Oats, Natural Lamb Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Minerals (Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Yeast Hydrolysate (Source Of Beta-Glucans), Cranberries, Blueberries, Broccoli, Dandelion Greens, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacinamide, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid), Choline Chloride, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Taurine, Flaxseed.

 

Hound & Gatos Grain-Free Cage-Free Chicken

Cost (4 lb): $27

Cost Per Day: $1.69

27% Protein, 16% Fat, 10% Moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Egg, Sweet Potato, Tapioca, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Chicken Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Minerals (Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Flaxseed, Yeast Hydrolysate (Source Of Beta-Glucans), Cranberries, Blueberries, Broccoli, Dandelion Greens, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacinamide, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid), Choline Chloride, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Taurine.

 

IAMS

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Cost Per Day: $0.40-$0.50

Type: Veterinary

Meat Quality: Conventional

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Corn/Sorghum/Rice

Grain-Free Starches: No Products

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High

Mycotoxin Risk: High

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Some nutritional supplements are sourced from China; other ingredients not discussed.

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Mars

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 2 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Iams (which is owned by Mars) appears to use conventional grains (corn/sorghum/rice) and conventional meats. The food is often recommended by veterinarians and may have somewhat more stringent mycotoxin testing than some brands, but may be contaminated with glyphosate from the sorghum.

 

Paul Iams, an animal nutritionist, founded The Iams Company in 1946 and then developed the world’s first meat-based dry dog food (sold for many years as the main Iams recipe) in 1950.

Procter & Gamble purchased The Iams Company in 1999 and then sold it to the large candy and pet food conglomerate Mars Inc. in 2014.

Both the meats as well as the binder sources used in Iams products seem to be conventional industrial foods.

The binders in all the foods include corn (which is often highly contaminated with various mycotoxins) and sorghum (which usually is heavily treated with glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant and also often heavily mycotoxin contaminated).

During the 1990s and early 2000s, I owned a beautiful and loving Himalayan cat named Marius who ate only Iams (recommended by the breeder and the veterinarian) his whole life.

Like me, Marius suffered from symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. He eventually had a shutdown of his digestive tract and died at age 14.

While I think that the hidden mold problem in our home was primarily responsible for my cat’s health problems, I doubt the Iams helped the situation and so now feel rather sad about having fed it to him as his only food source.

Cocoa tried the Iams Adult Large Breed Lamb & Rice food. The main ingredients are lamb, chicken by-product meal, ground whole grain barley, ground whole grain corn, ground whole grain sorghum, brewers rice, chicken fat, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavor, brewers yeast, dicalcium phosphate, flaxseed and dried egg product. It has 23% protein and 13% fat.

Cocoa’s reaction was the same as it was to trying food from Eukanuba (a sister company to Iams)- he first seemed rather enthusiastic about the food but then gave up on it entirely after eating only a couple of handfuls.

My guess with regard to the reason is that the flavor enhancers briefly distracted Cocoa from the moderate levels of toxicity present in the food.

I would be disinclined to feed this product to another dog because it seems likely to be contaminated with glyphosate due to the sorghum and also because of the use of conventional meat.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Iams ProActive Health: 4.5 Stars

 

Recalls

Aflatoxin (2011)

Salmonella (2010)

 

Iams ProActive Health Mini Chunks

Cost (7 lb): $12

Cost Per Day: $0.43

25% protein, 14% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Dried Egg Product, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Caramel Color, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide), Potassium Chloride, Carrot, Choline Chloride, Fructooligosaccharides, Calcium Carbonate, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Rosemary Extract.

 

I AND LOVE AND YOU

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars (grain-free), 2 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Sub-Brands: Naked Essentials, Nude Food, Lovingly Simple, Baked & Saucy

Cost Per Day: $0.75-$1.00

Type: Pet Store

Meat Quality: Meat is antibiotic-free and hormone-free. Seafood may be wild-caught or farm-raised and is antibiotic-free.

Meat Quantity: High/Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Sorghum/Oats/Millet/Quinoa

Grain-Free Starches: Peas/Lentils/Chickpeas/Sweet Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: No discussion

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Independent

Location: U.S. (Boulder, Colorado)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0-4.5 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 3 Stars (grain-free)

Summary: I And Love And You foods use antibiotic-free meats, which may be better than conventional meat but seem a step below cage-free or pastured. Grain-inclusive formulas contain conventional sorghum, oats and millet, meaning they are likely glyphosate contaminated. Grain-free versions contain legumes and sweet potatoes and therefore may be more worth considering.

 

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.

The company website states, “We get it.  We are pet parents too—the type who match outfits with them, give them social media accounts, talk in their voices and bring their personalities to life, give up our beds to them, and stay home on Friday nights with them.”

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.

Most of the food sold by I And Love And You is grain-free, containing a mix of legumes and what Dog Food Advisor calls a “moderate” or “notable” amount of meat.

There also are a few legume-free varieties that include mix of grains (including sorghum, oats and millet) that are especially likely to be contaminated with glyphosate and that also may have mycotoxin contamination.

I’ve yet to come across any information suggesting that the grains or legumes in the products are anything other than conventionally grown.

Based on the nutritional analysis and ingredient lists, I And Love And You grain-free foods seem similar in composition to some of the brands (such as Acana and Zignature) that were most frequently linked to dilated cardiomyopathy in the 2018 FDA report.

I thus would want to supplement my dog’s food with substantial amounts of meat if I were feeding this product to him on a regular basis.

Cocoa tried the I And Love And You Naked Essentials Grain-Free Chicken and Duck recipe. The main ingredients are chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, chickpeas, ground peas, chicken fat, lentils, pea starch, flaxseeds, brewers dried yeast, duck, beet pulp, pea protein, sweet potatoes and natural chicken flavor. It contains 30% protein and 15% fat.

Rather adorably, each piece of kibble is shaped like a little heart.

Cocoa has eaten this food on a number of different occasions, though there are a number of other grain-free and grain-inclusive kibbles that he prefers.

I would consider trying it out on a new dog, but only as a minority of his/her diet.

The grain-inclusive products seem to be at such a high risk for glyphosate contamination that I have yet to bother to have Cocoa try those foods.

 

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Cocoa Approved

I And Love And You Naked Essentials Grain-Free Chicken & Duck: 3 Stars

 

Dog Food Advisor

I And Love And You Nude Food: 4.5 Stars

I And Love And You Lovingly Simple: 4.5 Stars

I And Love And You Lovingly Simple: 4 Stars

 

I And Love And You Nude Superfood Red Meat Medley

Cost (5 lb): $18

Cost Per Day: $0.90

34% Protein, 15% Fat, 10% Moisture

Ingredients: Pork, Beef Meal, Herring Meal, Peas, Chickpeas, Pea Protein, Dried Egg Product, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Starch, Wild Boar, Sweet Potatoes, Pork Liver, Dried Carrots, Whole Ground Flaxseeds, Ground Miscanthus Grass, Natural Flavors, Olive Oil, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Pantothenic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Apples, Yeast Culture, Sodium Bicarbonate, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Product, Trichoderma Longbrachiatum Fermentation Product, Dried Candida Rugosa Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidphophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Coconut Oil, Fish Oil, Dried Chicory Root, Salt, Pumpkin, Mixed Tocopherols (As Preservative), Rosemary Extract, Turmeric, Yucca Schidigera Extract.

 

I And Love And You Ancient Grain Chicken & Turkey

Cost (4 lb): $12

Cost Per Day: $0.75

30% Protein, 15% Fat, 10% Moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Ground Sorghum, Oatmeal, Millet, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Pork Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Natural Flavor, Quinoa, Turkey, Dried Tomato Pomace, Flaxseeds, Ground Miscanthus Grass, Fish Oil, Dried Carrots, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Monosodium Phosphate, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate), Dried Chicory Root, Taurine, Citric Acid (Preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, DL-Methionine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid), Choline Chloride, L-Carnitine, Rosemary Extract.

 

INSTINCT

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive), 2 Stars (grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Original, Raw Boost, Be Natural, Limited Ingredient

Cost Per Day: $0.90-$1.50

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: Cage-free chicken; grass-fed lamb; U.S.-raised beef; “real” duck

Meat Quantity: High/Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice/Oats/Barley

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes/Tapioca

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: Moderate

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: USDA inspected pet food facilities

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Bacillus Coagulans only

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Nature’s Variety

Location: U.S. (Nebraska/Kansas)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.5-5.0 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Instinct uses ample amounts of higher-quality meats, including cage-free chicken and pastured beef/lamb. Grain-inclusive versions contain rice, oats and barley and thus may have some glyphosate contamination, though the risk may be lessened since the company is making efforts to source their ingredients from quality vendors. Grain-free versions contain tapioca (which may a questionable ingredient) as well as legumes.

 

Instinct is a Nebraska-based company that focuses on delivering at least a small amount of raw food in all of their products. Their kibble factory is located in Kansas.

The company states that the primary source of protein in all their foods is from animals rather than from peas or potatoes.

It seems that all the current products sold by the company contain 70% or higher of animal products.

Chicken is stated as being “cage-free” and lamb as grass-fed and from New Zealand.

I haven’t found information on how the beef or duck is raised.

Instinct foods are stated as being free of corn, wheat, soy, potatoes, and artificial colors/flavors.

The company website states:

We are very stringent about our sourcing and have good relationships built with our vendors for quality ingredients. Unfortunately our recipes cannot be classified by the USDA’s definition of human grade because our facilities are used to produce pet food rather than human food. That being said, all of our ingredients come from USDA-inspected facilities (or meet USDA requirements in the case of imports) and are from animals that have passed ante and post-mortem inspection. Our raw recipes are made with non-GMO fruits and vegetables. That being said, our recipes cannot be classified as fully organic. To labeled as such, even the foods our proteins are fed must be certified organic, and we cannot 100% confirm each animal’s diet given the slight variances among suppliers.

Instinct sells several lines of products, with the main difference being mostly the amount and type of raw freeze-dried materials included in them and whether they include grains.

The grain-free products all include tapioca and legumes (mostly peas).

Since I don’t see any information on where the tapioca is sourced, I am guessing it may be from Brazil (where a very large amount of very toxic farm chemicals are currently being used).

The company also has a grain-inclusive line called “Be Natural” (using oats, barley and millet as the grains).

I purchased the Instinct Be Natural Lamb version, which has 25% protein and 14% fat. The main ingredients are New Zealand grass-fed lamb, menhaden fish meal, oatmeal, barley, millet, turkey meal, canola oil, alfalfa meal, flaxseed and Montmorillonite clay.

Cocoa ate a few small dishes of the food but was not especially enthusiastic about it.

Since Cocoa seems unwilling to eat any foods containing tapioca, we have not tried the grain-free versions.

The fact that Cocoa ate the grain-inclusive food at all makes me think that probably the meat quality is indeed okay and so I am sorry that there is not a version of this food using binder ingredients that he really likes.

If Instinct were to use organic oats/millet in a grain-inclusive version, or if they were to make a grain-free version without any tapioca/cassava or white potato, then I would be very interested in having Cocoa try it.

 

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Cocoa Approved: 

Instinct Be Natural Lamb & Oatmeal: 3 Stars

 

Dog Food Advisor

Instinct Original: 5 Stars

Instinct Raw Boost: 5 Stars

Instinct Limited Ingredient: 4.5 Stars

 

Instinct Original Grain-Free Chicken

Cost (4 lb): $20

Cost Per Day: $1.25

37% protein, 20% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Tapioca, Herring Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Natural Flavor, Salt, Dried Tomato Pomace, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin), Carrots, Apples, Cranberries, Montmorillonite Clay, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide), Choline Chloride, Freeze Dried Chicken, Freeze Dried Chicken Liver, Pumpkinseeds, Freeze Dried Chicken Heart, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0

 

Instinct Be Natural Lamb

Cost (4.5 lb): $15

Cost Per Day: $0.94

25% protein, 14% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Menhaden Fish Meal, Oatmeal, Barley, Millet, Turkey Meal, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid), Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Ground Flaxseed, Montmorillonite Clay, Natural Flavor, Salt, Carrots, Potassium Chloride, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide), Freeze Dried Lamb, Yeast Culture, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Pumpkinseeds, Freeze Dried Lamb Liver, Freeze Dried Lamb Spleen, Freeze Dried Lamb Heart, Freeze Dried Lamb Kidney, Rosemary Extract.

Cocoa Rating: 2

 

LIFE’S ABUNDANCE

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Cost: $0.65-$0.80

Type: Private Label

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice/Oats/Barley

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes/Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: No

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family

Location: U.S. (Florida)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0-5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Summary: Life’s Abundance is sold direct to consumers and contains conventional meats and grains. The grain-inclusive versions contain oats as well as rice/barley and thus may be contaminated with glyphosate. The grain-free version contains potatoes (apparently a problem ingredient for some dogs) as well as legumes and sweet potatoes.

 

Life’s Abundance sells a variety of supposedly healthy products for humans and their pets direct to consumers. It is a family company and was founded in 1998.

I have heard about their kibble and other dog food products from a few breeders and pet owners.

The foods are stated as including no corn, wheat, artificial colors or artificial flavors.

Based on everything that I have been able to find, both the meat and the starches in the kibble appear to be conventionally produced.

The starches in the grain-inclusive versions include rice/oats/barley and thus can be expected to be contaminated with glyphosate from the oats.

The grain-free versions include legumes/potatoes/sweet potatoes and Cocoa will not eat regular potatoes.

I thus have not yet had Cocoa try any foods from this company.

I would not be likely to buy this product for a different dog due to my belief that both the meat and the grains would have problematic toxicity issues associated with them.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Life’s Abundance: 4.5 Stars

 

Life’s Abundance All Stage

Cost (8 lb): $21

Cost Per Day: $0.66

26% protein, 16% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Oat Groats, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Egg Product, Dried Tomato Pomace, Pearled Barley, Flaxseed Meal, Yeast Culture, Natural Flavor, Fish Oil, Whitefish Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Sunflower Lecithin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Yeast Extract, L-Lysine, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Blueberries, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Broccoli, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Pomegranate Extract, Selenium Yeast, Copper Proteinate, Inositol, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Manganese Sulfate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus reuteri Fermentation Product.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0

 

Life’s Abundance All Life Stage Grain-Free

Cost (7.5 lb): $24

Cost Per Day: $0.80

30% protein, 19% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Field Peas, Chickpeas, Potatoes, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Egg Product, Sweet Potatoes, Dried Tomato Pomace, Natural Flavor, Whitefish Meal, Flaxseed Meal, Fish Oil, Yeast Culture, Dried Beet Pulp, Sunflower Lecithin, Salt, DL-Methionine, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Inulin, Yeast Extract, L-Lysine, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Dicalcium Phosphate, Cranberries, Blueberries, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Selenium Yeast, Copper Proteinate, Inositol, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Manganese Sulfate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus reuteri Fermentation Product.

 

MERRICK

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive), 2 Stars (grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Full Source, Backcountry, Grain-Free, Classic Healthy Grains, Lil’ Plates, Limited Ingredient Diets, Puppy

Cost Per Day: $1.20-$1.30

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: Conventional from farmers/ranchers

Meat Quantity: High/Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice/Barley/Oats/Quinoa

Grain-Free Starches: Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes/Legumes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Nestlé Purina

Location: U.S. (Texas)

Dog Food Advisor Ratings: 4.0-5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Merrick is a higher-end brand (owned by Nestlé Purina) using larger amounts of meats obtained direct from farmers and ranchers. Grain-inclusive versions include a combination of rice/barley/oats/quinoa and therefore may have some glyphosate contamination. Grain-free versions all contain potatoes (a possibly problematic ingredient) as well as legumes and sweet potatoes.

 

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.

I therefore am thinking that the animal products probably should be considered to be conventionally produced, though perhaps better than some.

Grains, legumes and produce all appear to be conventionally produced as well.

From what I have been able to find, all of Merrick’s grain-inclusive products include oats (which tend to be highly contaminated with glyphosate unless organic), along with barley, sweet potatoes and/or rice.

It seems that all of the grain-free versions contain potatoes (which Cocoa will not eat even in very small quantities), as well as legumes and/or sweet potatoes.

Cocoa tried the Merrick Lil’ Plates Healthy Grains Lamb and Brown Rice product. The main ingredients are lamb, lamb meal, brown rice, chicken meal, oatmeal, barley, dried egg product, chicken fat, natural flavor, quinoa, carrots, apples, flaxseed and whitefish meal. The food contains 27% protein and 16% fat.

Cocoa ate a few small dishes of this food over time but on many other occasions ignored it.

I later had Cocoa try the Merrick Healthy Grains Real Beef + Brown Rice. The main ingredients are beef, pork meal, peas, brown rice, barley, pork fat, lamb meal, natural flavor, pea protein, quinoa, oatmeal, beef liver, salmon meal, carrots, apples, flaxseed oil, blueberries, chia seed and organic alfalfa meal. The food contains 26% protein and 15% fat.

Cocoa would not eat this food at all.

My guess with this brand is that some of the grains and/or legumes are contaminated with glyphosate, in some cases more highly than others.

I have not bothered to have Cocoa try any grain-free foods from Merrick since they all contain potatoes.

Probably I would not put too much emphasis on trying any of the Merrick foods with another dog due to my concerns about the glyphosate issue.

 

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Cocoa Approved

Merrick Lil’ Plates Healthy Grains Lamb + Rice: 3 Stars

 

Dog Food Advisor

Merrick Grain-Free: 5 Stars

Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused: 5 Stars

Merrick Classic Healthy Grains: 4.5 Stars

Merrick Limited Ingredient: 4 Stars

 

Merrick Texas Beef + Sweet Potato Grain-Free

Cost (4 lb): $20

Cost Per Day: $1.25

34% protein, 15% fat, 11% moisture

Deboned Beef, Lamb Meal, Salmon Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Peas, Potato Protein, Pork Fat, Natural Flavor, Whitefish Meal, Pea Protein, Sunflower Oil, Beef Liver, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Apples, Blueberries, Organic Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Choline Chloride, Salmon Oil, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Proteinate, Cobalt Carbonate), Taurine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Niacin, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement) Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Citric Acid for freshness, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0

 

Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Chicken

Cost (4 lb): $20

Cost Per Day: $1.25

26% protein, 16% fat, 11% moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Turkey Meal, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat, Quinoa, Salmon Meal, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Salt, Organic Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Carrots, Apples, Sunflower Oil, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Proteinate, Cobalt Carbonate), Taurine, Chia Seed, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mixed Tocopherols For Freshness, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Citric Acid For Freshness, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0

 

NATURAL BALANCE

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Original, LID Limited Ingredient Diet, Vegetarian

Cost Per Day: $0.80-$1.25

Type: Pet Store

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice

Grain-Free Starches: Sweet Potatoes/Cassava/Potatoes or Legumes/Sweet Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: Low (grain-inclusive), Moderate/Low (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Ownership: J.M. Smucker

Location: U.S.

Recalls: Yes

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 2.5-4.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Summary: Natural Balance is owned by J.M. Smucker, which produces a variety of low-end pet foods. All products contain moderate amounts of conventional meats and binders. Grain-inclusive versions contain just rice, which may be relatively low in mycotoxins and glyphosate. Many of the company’s grain-free foods contain both potatoes and cassava as well as legumes, while others contain sweet potatoes and legumes.

 

Natural Balance was started as a “health food for dogs” in 1989 by the actor Dick Van Patten (of the TV show “Eight is Enough”).

It has been owned since 2015 by the J.M. Smucker Company, a large corporation.

From the beginning, the company has had the policy that their foods would contain no wheat, corn, soy or meat by-products.

The company had a few prominent recalls prior to being purchased by Smucker and was one of the brands cited in the 2007 melamine-contaminated pet food recalls.

I’ve found nothing that suggests that either the animal ingredients or the other ingredients in the products are produced in ways that are anything other than conventional.

Cocoa has tried two Natural Balance foods so far.

The Natural Balance LID Puppy Lamb kibble contains lamb, brown rice, lamb meal, brewers rice, rice bran, brewers dried yeast, sunflower oil, potato protein, natural flavor, flaxseed and fish oil.

Natural Balance LID Chicken & Sweet Potato contains chicken, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, cassava flour, potatoes, chicken fat, brewers dried yeast, flaxseed, natural flavor, potato protein and menhaden fish oil.

Cocoa would not eat any of either of those foods.

Both contain potatoes and conventional meat, and the second also contains cassava. So I am not surprised that Cocoa refused them.

However, I gave the leftover Puppy Lamb food to a friend with a border collie who especially likes variety and is not very picky, and that dog did not want to eat the food either.

I do not think that I would buy Natural Balance foods again, due to their use of conventional meats and potatoes/cassava as well as these dogs’ reactions to them.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Natural Balance LID: 4.5 Stars

 

Recalls

Salmonella (2012)

Salmonella (2010)

 

Natural Balance LID Puppy Lamb

Cost (4 lb): $16

Cost Per Day: $1.00

24% protein, 13% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Brown Rice, Lamb Meal. Brewers Rice, Rice Bran, Brewers Dried Yeast, Sunflower Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Potato Protein, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Salt, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, DL- Methionine, L-Threonine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Choline Chloride, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.5

Cocoa Rating: 1

 

Natural Balance LID Chicken Grain-Free

Cost (12 lb): $39

Cost Per Day: $0.82

24% protein, 10% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Cassava Flour, Potatoes, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Brewers Dried Yeast, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Potato Protein, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Salt, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Dl-methionine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement ), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Dicalcium Phosphate, Citric Acid (Used As A Preservative), Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.0

 

NATURE’S LOGIC

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive), 2 Stars (grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Original, Distinction

Cost Per Day: $1.10-$1.30

Type: Allergy

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.

Meat Quantity: High

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Millet

Grain-Free Starches: Tapioca

Starches Quality: Conventional. Millet is from U.S. farms where glyphosate is supposedly not used. Tapioca is from Thailand.

Glyphosate Risk: Moderate (grain-inclusive), Low (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

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

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary

Synthetics: No

China Ingredients: None

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Mid America Pet Foods

Location: U.S. (Nebraska)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive), 1 Star (grain-free)

Summary: Nature’s Logic makes products intended largely for dogs with food sensitivities. A variety of flavors appropriate for use in a rotation diet are available. Lamb, venison and beef are grass-fed; other meats are antibiotic-free. Grain-inclusive foods use U.S.-grown millet, which may (or may not) be free of substantial glyphosate contamination. Grain-free foods use tapioca, which is relatively untested for safety in dogs.

 

Nature’s Logic (founded in 2006) makes a variety of foods that seem especially appropriate for dogs with food sensitivities or allergies.

The company was purchased by Mid America Pet Food (which also owns Victor dog foods) in August 2021.

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

The products are free of corn, wheat, rice, soy, peas, potatoes, and artificial colorings/flavors/preservatives.

The vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in the products come directly from food sources rather than being chemically synthesized.

The products contain montmorillonite clay, which is basically the same thing as bentonite clay and could be helpful for detoxification. The company says that the clay has been tested as being free of dioxin.

With regard to probiotics, the company website states:

Nature’s Logic uses a probiotic blend chosen to complement one another and work harmoniously, for the maximum benefit – Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Casei, Bifidobacterium Bifidium, Enterococcus Faecium, Bacillus Coagulans. Nature’s Logic uses probiotics developed using a proprietary process that creates strains that grow and multiply in higher temperatures. These thermo-positive probiotics remain viable for up to two years, without refrigeration.

The binder source in the grain-inclusive kibbles is millet, which to my understanding is often treated with glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant.

I asked Nature’s Logic about this possibility and they responded as follows:

Glyphosate is not used in the US on millet as a pre-harvest desiccant. That practice was taking place in Canada, our millet is grown in the United States.

While it did seem from the Canadian freedom-of-information study that glyphosate is used much more as a pre-harvest desiccant in Canada than in the U.S., I had not heard before that glyphosate is never used as a pre-harvest desiccant on particular types of crops in the U.S. and so wonder about the accuracy of the company’s statement on this.

However, I am glad that Nature’s Logic has thought about this issue and taken at least some steps to try to address the situation.

The grain-free kibble uses tapioca root as the only binder ingredient. The company representative informed me that the tapioca is sourced from Thailand.

With regard to the meat sources, Nature’s Logic states the following:

Our beef, chicken, duck, lamb, fish, venison, and rabbit come from human-edible processing plants and are simply the surplus not sold to supermarkets during the daily production cycle. The lamb, venison, and beef sources are all grass-fed. The chicken, duck, turkey, and rabbit sources are commercially-raised for human consumption and are fed vegetarian diets. They are antibiotic and hormone-free.

The company website states that lamb and venison are sourced from New Zealand; that rabbit is from Italy; that sardines are from Norway; that salmon is from the US or Chile; and that the rest of the animal products are from the U.S.

The company representative told me that the poultry and rabbit is raised cage-free.

The regular Nature’s Logic line mentions only meat meal (rather than meat) on the ingredients lists.

The company’s new Distinction line mentions meat as well as meat meal on its ingredient lists, but it is only available in small independent pet stores and I have not yet been able to find it in any stores near me.

Cocoa tried the Nature’s Logic Canine Lamb Meal Feast, which is stated as having 32% protein and 15% fat. The main ingredients are lamb meal, millet, chicken fat, pumpkin seed, yeast culture, spray dried pork liver, alfalfa concentrate, montmorillonite clay, dried kelp and spray dried porcine plasma.

Cocoa ate about half of a small bag of this food over time.

While he usually preferred other kibbles to this food, there was one month when he experienced in quick succession several health challenges (including a two-day inflammatory reaction and apparent seizure subsequent to getting the bordetella vaccine; a bout of fleas and apparent mites after killing a rabbit; and an apparent seizure after getting a dose of the NexGard flea poison) and chose Nature’s Logic several times instead of his usual favorite kibbles.

I wonder if the reason was that he was attracted to the detoxification benefits of the clay in the food.

Cocoa also has tried the Nature’s Logic Canine Grain-Free Beef Meal Feast. It contains 33% protein and 15% fat, with the main ingredients of beef meal, tapioca root, pork fat, menhaden fish meal, spray dried beef liver, pumpkin seed, yeast culture, montmorillonite clay, dried kale, dried kelp, and spray dried porcine plasma.

Cocoa has refused to eat any of this food.

In retrospect this is not a surprise, since he never will eat foods with anything more than a tiny bit of tapioca in them.

For a new dog, I would consider the grain-inclusive products, especially if I thought that my dog was struggling with food sensitivities or toxicity issues.

I likely wouldn’t use the grain-free versions because I have yet to be convinced that tapioca is a good ingredient for any dog to eat on a regular basis.

 

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Cocoa Approved

Nature’s Logic Original Lamb: 3 Stars

 

Dog Food Advisor

Nature’s Logic: 5 Stars

 

Nature’s Logic Lamb

Cost (4.4 lbs): $22

Cost Per Day: $1.25

32% protein, 15% fat, 9% moisture

Ingredients: Lamb Meal, Millet, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pumpkin Seed, Yeast Culture, Spray Dried Pork Liver, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kelp, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Dried Tomato, Almonds, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Carrot, Dried Apple, Menhaden Fish Meal, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Apricot, Dried Blueberry, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Cranberry, Parsley, Dried Artichoke, Rosemary, Dried Mushroom, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidium Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract

Cocoa Rating: 3

 

Nature’s Logic Grain-Free Duck & Salmon

33% protein, 15% fat, 9% moisture

Ingredients: Duck Meal (source of Methionine-cystine), Tapioca Root, Turkey Meal, Salmon Meal (source of Taurine), Turkey Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Yeast Culture, Pumpkin Seed, Dried Egg Product, Montmorillonite Clay, Spray Dried Chicken Liver, Dried Kale, Dried Kelp, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Parsley, Dried Cranberry, Dried Artichoke, Dried Mushroom, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract

 

NULO

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Challenger, Freestyle, Frontrunner, Medal Series

Cost Per Day: $0.80-$1.30

Type: Pet Store, Organic

Meat Quality: Cage-free poultry; pastured New Zealand/Australian lamb; wild-caught fish (except trout).

Meat Quantity: High

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Oats/Barley/Rice or Oats/Barley/Millet

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes/Sweet Potatoes

Starch Quality: Challenger line uses organic ancient grains; other lines use conventional starches

Glyphosate Risk: High (Frontrunner grain-inclusive), Low (Challenger grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Bacillus Coagulans only

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Individual (Michael Landa and Brett Montana)

Location: U.S. (Austin, Texas)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5-5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Summary: Nulo contains relatively large amounts of cage-free/pastured meats and mostly wild-caught fish. The new Challenger line (sold only in independent pet stores) contains organic grains. Grain-free versions contain only sweet potatoes and legumes and also may be worth considering. Other grain-inclusive versions contain non-organic oats and are at a risk of glyphosate contamination.

 

Nulo is an independently owned company (based in Austin, Texas) that focuses on creating dog foods with a high meat content.

Nulo kibbles have about 75-95% or more of the protein coming from animal sources.

Grain-inclusive and grain-free versions are available.

Nulo responded to my question about how the meats and grains in the products are produced with the following statement:

Our meat, poultry, and fish are sourced from the United States and Canada, with the exception of some of our duck (France), lamb (Australia & New Zealand), and wild-caught fish (regions can vary based on the migratory path of the wild population). As a small, independent company, we work tirelessly to source high-quality ingredients through a network of reputable suppliers who take great care in raising or harvesting animals humanely and safely. Our chicken, turkey, and duck are raised free to roam about climate-controlled facilities that are designed to keep the birds comfortable and to protect them from predators, disease, and inclement weather. Lamb from Australia and New Zealand is raised on pastures, and our fish is wild-caught, with the exception of our Trout, which is farm-raised in freshwater raceways and ponds. Trout raised this way is considered a “Best Choice” by the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch program as many wild trout populations have become endangered. Additionally, our Tuna is certified dolphin-safe by standards set by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

We’re happy to let you know that we do not formulate with GMO ingredients, the most common in pet foods being corn, wheat, or other grains, and soy. We also require non-GMO ingredients from our suppliers. All ingredients must meet the requirements of the USDA and FDA (which includes strict regulations surrounding antibiotic, pesticides, and other environmental contaminants) to ensure that the ingredients going into our products are safe.

I’m not sure how the beef and pork used in some of the company’s products is raised.

All of Nulo’s grain-inclusive kibble (except for the new Challenger line) includes non-organic oats and non-organic barley (and in some cases non-organic millet). It thus has a high likelihood of being contaminated with glyphosate.

The grain-free kibble uses non-organic legumes, which also have some potential of being glyphosate-contaminated.

The company’s new Challenger line uses organic ancient grains (including oats, millet, barley and rye) as well as a high meat content (83-90% of the entire protein content). It does not include any legumes.

The protein level in the Challenger foods is 32-35% and the fat is around 18%.

Meats used in Challenger foods are stated as being “ethically sourced,” though I am not sure if they differ from the meats used in other Nulo foods.

Challenger food is only sold through small local independent retailers and no samples are available.

I was unable to find Nulo Challenger in any local stores or most online retailers, but finally was able to order a bag through Tomlinson’s for a moderately high delivery charge ($11).

Cocoa tried the Nulo Challenger Alpine Ranch version. The main ingredients are deboned beef, deboned lamb, salmon meal, turkey meal, deboned pork, chicken meal, organic oats, organic barley, chicken fat, organic millet, ground miscanthus grass, and natural flavor. It contains 35% protein and 18% fat.

He also tried the Nulo Freestyle Turkey & Sweet Potato Grain-Free Puppy version. The main ingredients are deboned turkey, turkey meal, salmon meal, chickpeas, chicken fat, sweet potato, yellow peas, deboned trout, pea fiber, natural flavor, yeast culture and chicory root. It contains 33% protein and 18% fat.

Cocoa was sometimes willing to eat both of these foods.

Later, Cocoa tried the Nulo Challenger Game Bird Quarry version. The main ingredients are duck, turkey, turkey meal, salmon meal, chicken meal, organic oats, chicken fat, organic millet, organic barley, guinea fowl, miscanthus grass and natural flavor. It contains 35% protein and 18% fat.

Cocoa refused to eat this food.

I would consider trying the Nulo Challenger grain-inclusive products or the Nulo Freestyle grain-free products with another dog.

I would be disinclined to try buy the Nulo Frontrunner products since those contain non-organic grains that are likely to be contaminated with glyphosate.

 

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Cocoa Approved

Nulo Challenger Alpine Ranch: 3 Stars

Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Turkey & Sweet Potato Puppy: 3 Stars

 

The Dog Food Advisor

Nulo FreeStyle: 5 Stars

Nulo Medal Series: 5 Stars

Nulo FreeStyle Limited Plus: 4.5 Stars

 

Nulu Freestyle Limited + Small Breed Grain-Free Turkey

Cost (5.5 lb): $28

Cost Per Day: $1.27

30% protein, 17% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chickpeas, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid), Sweet Potatoes, Lima Beans, Miscanthus Grass, Natural Flavor, Monosodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Chicory Root, Salmon Oil, Choline Chloride, L-Carnitine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Methionine, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Manganous Oxide, Biotin, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Rosemary Extract.

 

Nulo Challenger Beef/Lamb/Pork

Cost (4.5 lb): $25

Cost Per Day:  $1.39

35% protein, 18% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Beef, Deboned Lamb, Salmon Meal, Turkey Meal, Deboned Pork, Chicken Meal, Organic Oats, Organic Barley, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid), Organic Millet, Ground Miscanthus Grass, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberries, Dried Spinach, Dried Chicory Root, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Iron Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Manganous Oxide, Biotin, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Rosemary Extract.

 

NUTRISOURCE

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Cost Per Day: $0.75-$1.00

Sub-Brands: Original, PureVita, Choice

Type: Pet Store

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: High/Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice/Oats or Rice/Barley/Oats or Sorghum/Rice/Oats/Barley or Millet/Spelt/Buckwheat

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: High/Moderate (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Yes

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Tuffy’s Pet Foods

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not rated

Cocoa’s Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Nurisource foods contain conventional meats and binders. The grain-inclusive versions all contain oats, sorghum or millet/buckwheat and therefore may be contaminated with glyphosate. Grain-free versions contain legumes.

 

Nutrisource (located in Perham, Minnesota) is a family-owned company that was founded in 1964.

Their foods seem to be sold only in smaller pet stores.

The company website states:

We are consciously small and do not outsource our kibble products. We invest in quality, from our raw ingredients, to our people, to our new state of the art manufacturing plant.  We know what goes into all of our products and test products during and after cooking, and we know who is doing the cooking.   We are very proud of our unmatched safety record.

Good sourcing practices begin with the suppliers from whom we purchase. We search for quality vendors who are dedicated to providing healthy food ingredients. In addition, we give preferential treatment to those suppliers still owned and operated by their families. Our country is stronger when companies support their local family-owned businesses.

When formulating our Nutrisource products we carefully consider every ingredient. We’re particular about our suppliers so we can guarantee that our raw ingredients will pass our very stringent testing. We are equally conscientious about how our food is made so we manufacturer our own kibble in a state of the art AIB certified facility. We mill our own grains, grind our own meats and cook at lower temperatures to maximize nutrition. These efforts help result in nutrient dense recipes that maximize bio-availability.

I’ve not found anything to suggest that the company is using anything other than conventionally raised meats and conventionally produced grains/legumes in their products, however.

The company produces several lines of products, including Nutrisource Original (mostly with brown rice, oats and barley as the binders); Pure Vita (limited-ingredient foods with either rice/barley/oats or legumes); Choice (a price-conscious line with sorghum/barley/oats/rice); and Element (higher-protein foods with at least 85% animal protein and brown rice/barley/oatmeal or millet/spelt/buckwheat).

It seems that all the Nutrisource grain-inclusive products contain grains (such as oats, sorghum, millet and/or buckwheat) that are at high risk for being contaminated with glyphosate.

Cocoa tried the Nutrisource Small & Medium Breed Puppy food. The main ingredients are chicken meal, chicken, brown rice, chicken fat, Menhaden fish meal, oatmeal, barley, sunflower oil, flax seeds, dried plain beet pulp, brewers dried yeast and natural chicken flavor.

Cocoa would not eat any of this food.

I would guess this was due to the presence of conventional chicken as well as glyphosate-contaminated oats.

We have not tried any grain-free products from this company because of my suspicion that the conventional meats would prevent Cocoa from eating them.

I doubt that I will buy any Nutrisource products again unless something major changes with regard to them.

 

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Nutrisource Small/Medium Breed Puppy Chicken

Cost (5 lb): $19

Cost Per Day: $0.95

33% protein, 22% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken meal, chicken, brown rice, menhaden fish meal (a source of fish oil), oatmeal, chicken fat (preserved with tocopherols and citric acid), flax seeds, dried plain beet pulp, sunflower oil (preserved with tocopherols), natural chicken flavor, brewers dried yeast, potassium chloride, dried tomato pomace, salt, DL methionine, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, cobalt proteinate, selenium yeast), choline chloride, vitamins (vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), lecithin, lactic acid, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), yucca schidigera extract, taurine, L-carnitine, calcium iodate, rosemary extract, yeast culture, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract.

 

Nutrisource Woodlands Select Grain-Free

Cost (5 lb): $20

Cost Per Day: $1.00

28% protein, 17% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Wild Boar, turkey, turkey meal, menhaden fish meal, green lentils, red lentils, garbanzo beans, sunflower meal, sunflower oil, tapioca starch, chia seed, dried tomato pomace, natural flavor, dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, brewers dried yeast, salt, calcium carbonate, choline chloride, DL methionine, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, cobalt proteinate, selenium yeast), vitamins (vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), preserved with tocopherols and citric acid, glucosamine hydrochloride, lactic acid, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), chondroitin sulfate, yucca schidigera extract, taurine, L-carnitine, calcium iodate, rosemary extract, yeast culture, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract.

 

NUTRO

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Ultra, Natural Choice, Limited Ingredients

Cost Per Day: $0.80-$1.10

Type: Pet Store

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice or Rice/Sorghum/Barley

Grain-Free Starches: Potatoes/Legumes/Sweet Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High/Low (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: High/Moderate (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Mars

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.0-4.5 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Nutro foods apparently contain conventional meats and binders. Some grain-inclusive versions contain only rice (but Cocoa would still not eat one of these) while others include sorghum (which is likely to be contaminated with glyphosate). Grain-free versions contain potatoes (a questionable ingredient for at least some dogs) as well as sweet potatoes and legumes.

 

The Nutro Company was founded in 1933 to make food for foxes and then eventually expanded into the dog food business.

It went through some ownership changes over the years and was purchased by the large food conglomerate Mars Inc. in 2007.

Nutro focuses most of its marketing efforts on stressing a “Feed Clean” philosophy for its foods.

The company makes three lines of kibble: the original Natural Choice (with the company’s popular lamb and rice food); the Ultra Superfood Plate (designed to be a high-end holistic dog food); and the new Limited Ingredient Diet (intended for dogs with food sensitivies).

The company website states:

To us, clean is simple, purposeful, and trustworthy. This means: We will exclusively source non-GMO ingredients as close to their native form as possible. We will never add artificial preservatives, flavors or colors. We will not use ingredients like chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat, or soy protein. Ingredients serves a precise purpose in each recipe. We will also source our ingredients from trusted farmers and suppliers.

In 2014, we started the process by sourcing non-GMO ingredients and have continued by introducing rigorous GMO testing processes for the Nutro dry dog and cat food lines.

Today, every recipe in our Nutro and Ultra dog and cat food portfolio meets our Nutro Feed Clean standard. We won’t rest until choosing any Nutro product means choosing clean for your pet.

However, Nutro foods have been subject to a number of recalls over the past two decades.

In addition, the Wikipedia article for the company also states:

In April 2008, consumeraffairs.com reported multiple cases of diarrhea, vomiting and other intestinal problems in pets fed Nutro products….In September 2008, the Pet Food Product Safety Alliance (PFPSA) tested samples of Nutro dog food in response to the consumer complaints on consumeraffairs.com and found levels of copper in excess of Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recommendations. Zinc levels were approximately 2-4 times the minimum recommendation of 120 ppm, but still within the maximum recommendation of 1000 ppm. The PFPSA has criticized the recommended zinc levels as excessive; even the minimum recommended levels are 10 times that of adult human requirements (based on body weight). PFPSA has also stated that the symptoms of zinc toxicity are consistent with consumer complaints regarding Nutro dog food. Nutro rejected PFPSA’s claims stating that both zinc and copper levels were within recommended levels, reiterating that their products undergo “rigorous quality assurance testing”.

The company’s FAQ page discusses their current quality control procedures.

From what I can tell, Nutro uses conventional meats as well as conventional starches in its foods.

Although the website states that the foods are non-GMO, most of the company’s products include non-organic starches (such as sorghum, legumes or oats) with a high likelihood of having been treated with glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant.

The company’s documented history of quality control issues, as well as the use of conventional ingredients, makes me feel that I would never want to force a dog to eat food from this company and instead would always want to provide a choice of other foods that I felt more confident about if I wanted to try it.

I offered to Cocoa some of the Nutro Ultra Toy Breed because the binder ingredients seemed to consist mostly of rice (which rarely has much glyphosate contamination but which may be contaminated with arsenic or other heavy metals). The food has 27% protein and 16% fat, with the main ingredients of chicken, chicken meal, whole brown rice, brewers rice, lamb meal, beet pulp, chicken fat, rice bran, salmon meal, oatmeal and natural flavoring.

Cocoa would not eat any of this food, no matter how many times I put it out and even when all his other food dishes were empty.

Based on my current knowledge about this brand, I would not buy it again.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Nutro Ultra: 4.5 Stars

Nutro Wholesome Essentials: 4 Stars

Nutro Limited Ingredients: 3 Stars

 

Recalls

Plastic (2009)

Zinc/Potassium (2009)

Melamine (2007)

Phenobarbital (1998)

 

Nutro Ultra Toy Breed

Cost (4 lb): $17

Cost Per Day: $1.06

27% protein, 16% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Brown Rice, Brewers Rice, Lamb Meal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Rice Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Brown Rice, Brewers Rice, Lamb Meal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Rice Bran, Salmon Meal, Whole Grain Oatmeal, Natural Flavor, Whole Flaxseed, Sunflower Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid (preservatives), Dried Coconut, Whole Chia Seed, Dried Egg Product, Tomato Pomace, Dried Kale, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Spinach, Dried Blueberries, Dried Apples, Dried Carrots, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Selenium Yeast, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0

Cocoa Rating: 1

 

Nutro Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Lamb

Cost (4 lb): $16

Cost Per Day: $1.00

20% protein, 14% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Lamb, Lamb Meal, Chickpeas, Dried Potatoes, Dried Sweet Potato, Lentils, Potato Starch, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Sunflower Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Potato Protein, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid (preservatives), Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Selenium Yeast, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.0

 

ONLY NATURAL

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-free)

Sub-Brands: PowerFood,  PowerFusion

Cost Per Day: $0.85-$1.15

Type: Private Label

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: High

Grain-Inclusive Starches: No Products

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: Bacillus Coagulans only

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Independent (Marty Grosjean)

Location: U.S. (Boulder, Colorado)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0-4.5 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 1 Star (grain-free)

Summary: Unlike the company’s excellent air-dried products, Only Natural kibble contains conventional meats as well as conventional legumes. Only grain-free versions are available.

 

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

Only Natural also sells a number of dog foods under their own brand name.

Only Natural PowerFood is a grain-free kibble with relatively high protein levels (35-38%) and higher fat levels (16-18%).

The product line includes several items based on chicken/turkey (including puppy and small breed versions) as well as a lamb/pork version.

The binders consist of a variety of legumes (including peas, garbanzos beans and lentils), which are often treated with glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant unless they are organic.

Unfortunately, to my understanding all the ingredients in this food are conventionally produced.

Only Natural also makes a line of “PowerFusion” dog foods that consist mostly of the Only Natural PowerFood, mixed with some freeze-dried cage-free chicken or freeze-dried pork.

The PowerFusion product also contains some large “superfood bites” consisting of freeze-dried goat’s milk and vegetables.

My dog really likes the Only Natural MaxMeat air-dried foods, which contain cage-free or pastured meats from New Zealand with no grains or legumes.

I therefore was a little hopeful about this kibble despite the apparently conventional ingredients used in it.

We tried the Only Natural PowerFusion Small Breed Feast. It contains 38% protein and 17% fat, with main ingredients of turkey, turkey meal, peas, chicken meal, garbanzo beans, chicken fat, lentils, chicken and alfalfa.

Cocoa picked out all the freeze-dried pieces in the food and left all the dried kibble pieces in the dish every time I gave this food to him.

Depending on the price, I guess I would consider buying the freeze-dried superfood bites and freeze-dried cage-free chicken on their own, but I do not see that for sale on the Only Natural site.

Considering that the kibble includes all conventional ingredients and that Cocoa would not eat it, I don’t see myself buying it again.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Only Natural PowerFusion: 4.5 Stars

Only Natural PowerFood: 4 Stars

 

Only Natural PowerFood Small Breed

Cost (4.5 lb): $16

Cost Per Day: $0.89

34% protein, 17% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal (Source Of Glucosamine And Chondroitin Sulfate), Peas, Chicken Meal, Garbanzo Beans, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Lentils, Sun Cured Alfalfa, Natural Flavor, Salmon Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Sunflower Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Chicory Root, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Dried Carrots, Dried Cranberries, Tomato Pomace, Dried Kelp, Dried Apples, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite), Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Product (Source Of Amylase, Lipase And Protease), Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid (Preservatives), Rosemary Extract, L-Carnitine, Choline Chloride, Pineapple Stems, Turmeric, New Zealand Green Mussel, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product

 

OPEN FARM

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-free), 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Cost Per Day: $1.25-$1.50

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: Pastured beef; pastured New Zealand lamb; crate-free pork; humanely raised chicken; wild-caught fish. Meat is sourced from high-welfare family farms that are antibiotic-free.

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Oats/Rice/Quinoa/Pumpkin

Green-Free Starches: Legumes/Sweet Potato/Pumpkin

Starch Quality: Non-GMO; guaranteed to be pesticide residue-free

Glyphosate Risk: High-

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family (Barrett Ag Service)

Location: Canada (with their manufacturing facility in Brainerd, Minnesota)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Summary: Open Farm kibbles are stated as including moderate quantities of higher-quality meats. Binder ingredients are conventional and in many cases sourced from Canada. The grain-inclusive versions contain substantial amounts of oats and thus likely are contaminated with glyphosate. Grain-free versions contain legumes (which also may be glyphosate-contaminated) and some also include potatoes (which may be inappropriate for at least some dogs).

 

Open Farm is a relatively new brand offered by the family-owned Barrett Ag Service, which is a large Canadian pet food manufacturer with a manufacturing facility in Brainerd, Minnesota.

The company states that it goes to great lengths to source the world’s best ingredients and works to be very transparent in terms of its sourcing.

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 raised crate-free. Fish is stated as being wild-caught according to sustainability standards verified by an organization called Ocean Wise.

I’ve yet to find any further information about the chicken.

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

Oats or legumes (both of which are frequently contaminated with large amounts of glyphosate, especially when grown in Canada) are used as the main binder in the foods.

Following is the response that I received from a company representative when I asked about this issue:

The health and safety of your pet is always our top priority. We can assure you that we fully stand behind our foods and treats and hold our entire supply chain to a very high standard. We work closely with our farms and suppliers and source all of our ingredients from reputable suppliers, receive detailed origin and specification documentation. Our produce is guaranteed to be Pesticide Residue Free upon harvest. Glyphosate herbicides are most commonly used on Genetically Modified Crops. We do not source any GMO crops so it is less likely that Glyphosate herbicides are used at all on our specific produce. In addition to quality sourcing, we run 3rd party lab batch testing on our recipes for Pesticide Residue to ensure the results come back negative. Our recipes are tested by 3rd party accredited labs for nutritional profile, pathogens, heavy metals and other contaminants, to ensure they meet our strict nutritional and food safety standards. We take great pride in sourcing only the highest quality ingredients and maintaining significant control and traceability throughout our supply chain, and in ensuring that the foods we make are not only extremely healthy, but also safe. We would never send a batch of food our that was not healthy and safe for our pets to consume. 

Based on this comment, it seems that this representative (or perhaps the company as a whole) is not aware of the extent to which glyphosate may be used as a pre-harvest desiccant on non-GMO crops or of the fact that these products actually tend to be much more glyphosate-contaminated than are GMO crops (due to the chemical being applied later in the growing season).

Whether their pesticide residue testing would pick up on glyphosate contamination is unclear.

The protein sources, binder sources and protein/fat levels for each Open Farm formula are listed below.

Cocoa first tried the Open Farm Pasture-Raised Lamb & Ancient Grains Recipe. The main ingredients listed are lamb, oats, ocean whitefish meal, millet, brown rice, coconut oil, herring meal, natural flavor, quinoa, pumpkin, salmon oil, apples and chia seed (along with nutritional supplements).

Cocoa ate a few pieces of the product as soon as I offered it to him, then ignored it.

A number of months later, we tried the Open Farm Grain-Free Grass-Fed Beef kibble. The main ingredients listed are beef, ocean whitefish meal, field peas, sweet potatoes, beef livers, pumpkin, coconut oil, garbanzo beans, herring meal, red lentils, green lentils, flaxseed, natural flavor, sunflower oil, carrots, cranberries, chicory root, alfalfa, apples and salmon oil (along with nutritional supplements).

Cocoa would not eat any of this product at all.

I am guessing that the problem is glyphosate contamination of the grains/pulses (especially since the company states that they are sourced from Canada). Mycotoxin contamination also could be a factor.

It also could be that the ocean fish meal (listed as the second ingredient in both formulas) is a problem since a lot of fish from the ocean is pretty toxic these days.

Although the Open Food kibble sounds good in theory, I don’t think that I would buy it for another dog in the future since I have come to believe that Cocoa’s judgment is sound.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Open Farm: 5 Stars

 

Open Farm Grain-Free Formulas – Binder Sources & Protein/Fat Levels

Wild-Caught Salmon (salmon, ocean fish meal, herring meal): chickpeas, field peas, green lentils; 30/14

Homestead Turkey & Chicken (turkey, chicken, ocean fish meal): potatoes, chickpeas, lentils, field peas, pumpkin, flax; 30/14

Grass-Fed Beef (beef, fish meal, herring meal): field peas, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, chickpeas, lentils; 30/14

New Zealand Venison (venison, fish meal, herring meal): field peas, sweet potato, pumpkin, chickpeas, lentils; 32/15

Puppy Recipe (chicken, salmon, fish meal, herring meal, pork): sweet potato, field peas, pumpkin, chickpeas, lentils; 32/16

Pasture-Raised Lamb (lamb, fish meal, herring meal): chickpeas, field peas, lentils; 30/14

Senior Recipe (turkey, chicken, fish meal): sweet potato, field peas, chickpeas, lentils, pumpkin; 31/13

Catch-of-the-Season Whitefish (whitefish, fish meal): chickpeas, field peas, lentils; 30/14

Farmer’s Table Pork (pork, fish meal): chickpeas, field peas, lentils, sweet potato, pumpkin; 30/14

 

Open Farm Pasture Raised Lamb & Ancient Grains

Cost (4 lb): $20

Cost Per Day: $1.25

26% protein, 15% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Oats, Ocean Whitefish Meal, Millet, Brown Rice, Coconut Oil, Herring Meal, Natural Flavor, Quinoa, Pumpkin, Salmon Oil, Apples, Chia Seed, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Chicory Root, Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Zinc Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Selenium Yeast, Calcium Iodate, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Cinnamon, Turmeric

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5

Cocoa Rating: 1

 

Open Farm Grass-Fed Beef

Cost (4.5 lb): $27

Cost Per Day: $1.50

30% protein, 14% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Humanely Raised Beef, Ocean Whitefish Meal, Field Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Beef Livers, Pumpkin, Coconut Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), Herring Meal, Red Lentils, Green Lentils, Flaxseed, Natural Flavour, Sunflower Oil, Carrots, Cranberries, Chicory Root, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Sun Cured Alfalfa, Apples, Zinc Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Selenium Yeast, Salmon Oil, Turmeric, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative)

 

ORIJEN

Living Clean Rating: 4 Stars (grain-free)

Cost Per Day: $1.35-$1.70

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: Free-run chicken/turkey/duck; ranch-raised beef/bison/venison/goat/pork; grass-fed lamb; wild boar; wild-caught flounder and herring.

Meat Quantity: High

Grain-Inclusive Starches: No Products

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes

Starch Quality: Conventional but grown specifically for company

Glyphosate Risk: Low

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Champion Pet Foods

Location: Canada (with Kentucky factory for foods distributed in U.S.)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 4 Stars (grain-free)

Summary: Orjien foods contain relatively large amounts of higher-quality meats and fish. All kibbles are grain-free and use just legumes as the binders. Ingredients are sourced locally and produced specifically for the company, which may mean they are of higher quality. Foods sold in the U.S. use ingredients sourced near the Kentucky plant and may be less likely to be contaminated with glyphosate than foods sold in Canada. Because the foods have a high meat content and use relatively few preservatives, they may go rancid faster than some kibbles and should be used up quickly once the bag is opened.

 

Orijen and Acana are sister companies, owned by the Canadian-based Champion Pet Foods.

Orijen is positioned as a premium kibble, with a higher percentage of meat/poultry/fish ingredients and a higher price than virtually all other kibble brands on the market.

The company states that all of its meat and grain ingredients are sourced locally from a carefully screened group of farmers.

The website states:

Responsibly farmed, ranched, or fished by people we know and trust, our ingredients are delivered right to our kitchen. 

Two-thirds of all animal ingredients used in Orijen are fresh or raw, nourishing your dog as nature intended. This is a key factor in the superior palatability and feeding performance of Orijen.

Nature matched the nutrients in whole animals to perfectly meet your dog or cat’s biological needs. Orijen WholePrey incorporates meats, organs, and cartilage in ratios that mirror the natural diet, eliminating the need for long lists of synthetic ingredients.

Our fresh ingredients are refrigerated to preserve freshness and nutrients. We freeze our raw ingredients at peak season using state-of-the-art techniques to lock in their natural goodness. This allows us to use seasonal ingredients that are unique and novel, providing a variety of flavour for your dog. The nutritional benefits of raw meat do not degrade, so your pet is getting the best, nutrient-rich protein.

Orijen contains 85-90 percent meat, poultry and fish ingredients in WholePrey ratios — meaning we include fresh meat, organs, and cartilage, just as Mother Nature would. Our fresh meats and cartilage in particular are high sources of natural glucosamine. That’s why glucosamine is listed on the guaranteed analysis but not on the ingredient list.

Orijen states that they source their ingredients from quality local farmers, meaning that the food sold in Canada (made in the company’s Alberta factory) and the food sold in the U.S. (made in the company’s Kentucky factory) have totally different ingredient sources.

The company also says that they are especially focused on obtaining quality meat and fish for the products.

Poultry is stated as being free-run; lamb as being grass-fed; beef, bison, venison, goat and pork as being “ranch-raised”; and fish as being “wild-caught.”

All Orijen kibble contains a variety of legumes as the binder.

As of yet, I have been unable to obtain any information on how the legumes are grown and if they are treated with glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant.

However, it is my understanding that this agricultural practice is mostly used on legumes in northern areas such as Canada.

I thus am a little hopeful that legumes grown in Kentucky specifically for Orijen might not be glyphosate-contaminated to any large extent, though I wish I could get confirmation on this one way or the other.

A class-action lawsuit filed in 2018 suggested that Orijen and Acana foods may be contaminated with various substances, including lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and BPA. I don’t have enough information to know whether this should be a concern.

Orijen contains a high meat/fat content with minimal preservatives. It thus may have the potential of going rancid more quickly than most kibble and should be used up quickly once the bag is opened, such as within a couple of months.

Orijen sells 12-ounce trial-size bags of their food and my dog has tried several different versions (including Original, Puppy, Regional Red, Six Fish and Tundra).

He was willing to eat all of the versions consistently when he was hungry and when his favorite foods were not available for a month or two after the bags were opened (after which he started refusing the foods entirely).

Considering the apparent high meat quality and the fact that Cocoa has been willing to eat this product, I think it seems to be one of the better options to try if a grain-free dog food is needed.

I’m less confident about the product made in Canada since the risk for glyphosate contamination seems higher, though.

 

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Cocoa Approved

Orijen Grain-Free Original: 4 Stars

Orijen Grain-Free Puppy: 4 Stars

Orijen Grain-Free Regional Red: 4 Stars

Orijen Grain-Free Six Fish: 4 Stars

Orijen Grain-Free Tundra: 4 Stars

 

Dog Food Advisor

Orijen: 5 Stars

 

Orijen Regional Red Grain-Free

Cost (4.5 lb): $25

Cost Per Day: $1.39

38% protein, 18% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Beef, Deboned Wild Boar, Deboned Goat, Deboned Lamb, Lamb Liver, Beef Liver, Beef Tripe, Wild Boar Liver, Deboned Mutton, Beef Heart, Whole Atlantic Mackerel, Deboned Pork, Goat Meal, Beef Meal, Lamb Meal, Mackerel Meal, Whole Red Lentils, Whole Pinto Beans, Beef Kidney, Pork Liver, Herring Meal, Mutton Meal, Whole Green Peas, Whole Green Lentils, Whole Navy Beans, Whole Chickpeas, Natural Pork flavor, Beef Fat, Lentil fiber, Pork Kidney, Alaskan Pollock Oil, Whole Yellow Peas, Lamb Tripe, Wild Boar Heart, Wild Boar Cartilage, Beef Cartilage, Whole Pumpkin, Whole Butternut Squash, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Kale, Spinach, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Turnip Greens, Whole Carrots, Whole Apples, Whole Pears, Freeze-Dried Beef Liver, Freeze-Dried Beef Tripe, Freeze-Dried Lamb Liver, Freeze-Dried Lamb Tripe, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Chicory Root, Turmeric, Sarsaparilla Root, Althea Root, Rosehips, Juniper Berries, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0

Cocoa Rating: 3

 

PARTY ANIMAL

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Cost Per Day: $0.90

Type: Organic

Meat Quality: Organic

Meat Quantity: Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Oats/Barley/Legumes/Rice

Grain-Free Starches: No Products

Starch Quality: Organic

Glyphosate Risk: Low

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Family (Daryl & Shawna Abrams)

Location: U.S. (California)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Party Animal sells one kibble that is stated as including all-organic binder ingredients (oats, barley, peas, brown rice and flaxseed). The food contains moderate amounts of chicken, some of it organic and some apparently conventional.

 

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

They are slightly better known for their canned foods (including the “Cocolicious” line) but also sell one dry kibble stated as containing 70% organic ingredients.

The binder ingredients – oats, barley, peas, brown rice and flaxseed – are all listed as organic.

The product lists “organic chicken” as the first ingredient but also contains “chicken meal,” “natural turkey and chicken flavor” and “chicken fat” that are not stated as being organic.

It seems that Party Animal does not manufacture their own food, but the website states only that the food is made in the U.S. without naming the manufacturer.

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.

I delayed having Cocoa try Party Animal kibble for quite a while, due to the fact that it has a relatively low protein/fat content (23%/14%) as well as my concerns about manufacturer reliability.

However, Cocoa seemed to think this food is okay and sometimes has eaten it in preference to his other favorite kibbles.

I would consider buying it again for another dog.

The fact that Party Animal is relatively low in fat may be especially appealing to the owners of some older or less active dogs.

However, even in that circumstance, I still think it likely would be a good idea to add some good-quality, low-fat fresh meat (cooked or raw) as a supplement to boost the animal protein content.

 

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Cocoa Approved

Party Animal Chicken & Oats: 3 Stars

 

Dog Food Advisor:

Party Animal: 4 Stars

 

Recalls

Pentobarbital (2017)

 

Party Animal California Chicken & Oats

Cost (5 lb): $18

Cost Per Day: $0.90

23% protein, 14% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Organic Chicken, Chicken Meal, Organic Oats, Organic Barley, Organic Peas, Natural Turkey and Chicken Flavor, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid), Organic Brown Rice, Organic Flaxseed, Calcium Carbonate, Tomato Pomace, Organic Sunflower Oil, Potassium Chloride, Dried Brewers Yeast, Salt, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Selenium Yeast), Blueberries, Choline Chloride, Organic Alfalfa Meal, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Carrots, Broccoli, Vitamins (Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Chicory Extract, Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Sage, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Garlic, Calcium Iodate, Rosemary Extract, Yeast Culture (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae), Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtillis Fermentation Extract.

 

PURINA BENEFUL

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Cost Per Day: $0.40-$0.50

Type: Supermarket

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Corn/Barley/Rice/Wheat/Oats/Soy

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes/Cassava/Soy/Canola

Starch Quality: Conventional but human-grade corn and focus on mycotoxin testing

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Nestlé Purina

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Purina Beneful (owned by Nestlé Purina) is a lower-end dog food containing all conventional ingredients. Grain-inclusive versions contain corn, wheat, oats and soy, and therefore may be at risk of containing glyphosate contamination. Grain-free versions also may be contaminated with glyphosate. A positive is that testing may ensure that large amounts of mycotoxins are not present in the food.

 

Purina Beneful is marketed by Nestlé Purina PetCare and owned by the large conglomerate Nestlé S.A.

The company stresses that “real beef, chicken or salmon” is the number one ingredient and the bags prominently feature attractive drawings of meat and vegetables.

However, Dog Food Advisor estimates that the products contain only a moderate amount of meat and gives the products only three stars.

The foods contain a variety of starches that are likely to be contaminated with glyphosate or mycotoxins, including corn, wheat, barley, soy, oats or (in the grain-free versions) legumes.

Corn oil, canola oil and/or soybean oil also are included, and these may be contaminated with mycotoxins and glyphosate as well.

The website states that their beef and chicken are “farm-raised,” a term that is often associated with smaller farms.

However, this is not a term that has any agreed-upon legal meaning and so I would not be surprised if the company is using it to refer to meat from industrial farms (also known as “factory farms”).

When I asked a company representative about how they protect the food from being contaminated with mycotoxins, this was their response:

As part of our comprehensive food safety and ingredient surveillance programs, we test for over 150 substances — including mycotoxins – to ensure the quality and safety of our pet foods. We meticulously test for mycotoxins like aflatoxin as part of our quality assurance process. Our quality assurance standards are among the strictest in the pet industry and our food is safe to feed.

Please know that we only use the same grades of corn traditionally used in human food. The quality of corn in pet foods can vary greatly. There are five grades of corn quality according to the USDA; grades 1 and 2 are traditionally used in human food. Our standard for all of our pet foods is grades 1 and 2.

We additionally have ingredient specialists at each of our North American Purina pet food manufacturing facilities who are trained to sample and analyze incoming grain. These ingredient specialists are tested on a quarterly basis to ensure they remain certified on key laboratory techniques. We meet or exceed every major food quality and safety standard including those issued by the FDA, USDA and AAFCO.

We invite you to learn more about the steps we take to source quality ingredients at our website here: http://spr.ly/6188HY9Gs

The information provided applies to all Purina foods.

The fact that Purina is using higher-grade corn (which is less likely to have broken pieces in it and thus less likely to be contaminated with mycotoxins) actually is a little reassuring and probably is part of the reason why Purina products have a generally good reputation among some veterinarians and breeders.

I’m a little more skeptical about the mycotoxin testing because even in human food and certainly in pet foods, there are no legal limits established in the U.S. for any mycotoxins except aflatoxin.

Since I am not sure what mycotoxins Purina is testing for or what levels it considers acceptable, it is hard to know how effective its testing may be in terms of protecting pets from being harmed by the food in a long-term way.

Glyphosate contamination is an additional concern, especially since the legal limits for that in animal feed are extremely high.

I bought a bag of the Purina Beneful Healthy Puppy Chicken version of the food for Cocoa to try and he has been unwilling to eat any of it.

In general, I would not buy this food again except for the purposes of doing a project like this.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Purina Beneful: 3 Stars

 

Purina Beneful Originals with Beef

Cost (3.5 lb): $6.50

Cost Per day: $0.46

23% protein, 12% fat, 14% moisture

Ingredients: Beef, Whole Grain Corn, Barley, Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal, Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Soybean Meal, Oat Meal, Glycerin, Egg And Chicken Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Mono And Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Dried Spinach, Dried Peas, Dried Carrots, Iron Oxide (Color), MINERALS [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Choline Chloride, VITAMINS [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], L-Lysine Monohydrochloride. Q409019

 

PURINA BEYOND

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-free), 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Cost Per Day: $0.45-$1.10

Type: Pet Store, Organic

Meat Quality: Organic chicken (organic versions); pasture-raised lamb, conventional chicken/beef (all other versions)

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice/Barley/Canola/Oats/Peas

Grain-Free Starches: Peas/Cassava/Canola

Starch Quality: Organic (organic versions); Conventional (all others). Human-grade corn and focus on mycotoxin testing.

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: Bacillus Coagulans only (some versions)

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Nestlé Purina

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Summary: Purina Beyond has a few organic grain-free versions containing cassava (which I consider a questionable ingredient for dog food) as well as peas and canola meal. Some of the non-organic versions contain pastured lamb while others apparently contain conventional meat. Grain-inclusive versions all contain non-organic oats and canola meal, which may be glyphosate-contaminated. A positive is that testing may ensure that large amounts of mycotoxins are not present in the food.

 

Purina Beyond is a spin-off from the Purina One line and is marketed by Nestlé Purina, a subsidiary of the controversial conglomerate Nestlé S.A.

The brand uses a number of tactics – including the use of the word “Beyond” (which is often associated with the concept of “beyond organic”), the rustic-looking drawings of animals on its packaging, and the frequent use of the term “farm-raised” – that convey the idea that the animals being used in the products are being raised in a healthful way.

The products are all stated as being free of corn, wheat, soy, poultry by-product meal, and artificial colors/flavors/preservatives.

The line includes two new certified organic items (one regular chicken and one small-breed chicken).

The binders in the organic product consist of cassava, peas, canola meal, and either carrots or sweet potatoes.

In the non-organic versions, the lamb is stated as being pasture-raised and the salmon as being wild-caught.

However, the beef and chicken in the non-organic products seem to qualify as conventional, even though the beef is stated as being “farm-raised” (with no explanation of what that means) and the chickens are stated as being “steroid-free” (when steroids are illegal in U.S. chickens in general).

The non-organic versions of the Purina Beyond grain-inclusive formulas include a variety of starches that typically are highly contaminated with glyphosate, including canola meal, peas, barley and/or oats.

I would not be surprised to learn that the cassava in the grain-free version is sourced from Brazil, which currently is using many toxic pesticides that have been banned in the rest of the world.

Dog Food Advisor estimates that the products contain only moderate amounts of meat.

Cocoa tried the Beyond Organic Grain-Free Small Breed Chicken version, which contains organic chicken, egg, cassava, peas and canola meal. He ate a few pieces and then gave up on the product.

Whether this was due just to the presence of cassava (the root used to make tapioca) or also to some other issue is hard to say.

Cocoa also tried the Purina Beyond Simply Lamb non-organic version, containing lamb, chicken, rice, barley, canola and oats.  He did not eat any of that food at all.

I would be interested in trying Purina Beyond foods again if the company reformulated its organic products to exclude tapioca/cassava and potatoes.

Otherwise, I don’t see myself buying from this line again.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Purina Beyond Organic: 4 Stars

Purina Beyond Simply: 3.5 Stars

Purina Beyond Simply Grain-Free: 3.5 Stars

Purina Beyond Superfood Blend: 3.5 Stars

 

Purina Beyond Organic Small Breed

Cost (3 lb): $13

Cost Per Day: $1.08

27% Protein, 17% Fat, 12% Moisture

Ingredients: Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Meal, Organic Cassava Root Flour, Organic Pea Starch, Organic Canola Meal, Organic Dried Egg, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Carrots, Organic Pea Hulls, Organic Pea Protein, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Mono And Dicalcium Phosphate, Dl-methionine, Calcium Carbonate, L-lysine Monohydrochloride, Taurine, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Choline Chloride. A434520

 

Purina Beyond Simply Lamb & Barley

Cost (3.2 lb): $9.00

Cost Per Day: $0.70

Ingredients: Lamb, Rice, Chicken Meal, Whole Barley, Canola Meal, Whole Oat Meal, Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, VITAMINS [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Choline Chloride, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product. H428119.

 

PURINA DOG CHOW

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Cost Per Day: $0.30-$0.40

Type: Supermarket

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Corn/Soy/Wheat

Grain-Free Starches: No Products

Starch Quality: Conventional but human-grade corn and focus on mycotoxin testing

Glyphosate Risk: Moderate

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Nestlé Purina

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 1 Star

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Purina Dog Chow (from Nestlé Purina) is an inexpensive food containing conventional grains and meat by-products. Binders are corn/soy/wheat and may be contaminated with glyphosate. A positive is that testing may ensure that large amounts of mycotoxins are not present in the food.

 

Purina Dog Chow was first introduced in 1926. It now is marketed by the Nestlé Purina PetCare Company (a subsidiary of Nestlé S.A.).

Although it is made in the U.S. rather than in China, this food is otherwise often cited as an example of what a typical low-quality dog food looks like.

Dog Food Advisor, for instance, gives the food only 1 out of 5 stars, citing the low percentage of meat ingredients; the use of unnamed and low-quality meat sources; and the presence of corn, soybeans, wheat, animal digest, artificial colors and other controversial ingredients.

Purina’s general response to my query about mycotoxins in their foods is discussed above in the section about Purina Beneful.

The main benefit of Purina Dog Chow seems to be that especially when it is purchased in large bags, it is very inexpensive.

For instance, if I bought a 42-pound bag and fed Cocoa nothing else, the cost would be approximately 16 cents per day.

For those with large dogs (or especially those with multiple large dogs) to feed, this can be appealing.

The reviews on Chewy are pretty good, which makes it seem that the food scientists at Nestlé Purina have been able to tweak the ingredients enough to make the food palatable to at least some dogs as well as nutritious enough that the dogs can get by.

Cocoa tried the Purina Puppy Chow Complete With Chicken & Rice. The main ingredients are corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, beef fat, soybean meal, barley, egg and chicken flavor, ground rice, chicken, and poultry/pork digest.

Cocoa would not eat any of this food.

I would not want another dog that I owned to eat this food either.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Purina Dog Chow: 1 Star

 

Purina Dog Chow Complete Adult with Real Chicken

Cost (4.4 lb): $6

Cost Per Day: $0.34

21% protein, 10% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Whole Grain Corn, Meat And Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Beef Fat Naturally Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Soybean Meal, Poultry By-Product Meal, Chicken, Egg And Chicken Flavor, Whole Grain Wheat, Animal Digest, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Mono And Dicalcium Phosphate, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Choline Chloride, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 2, Garlic Oil. E-4101.

 

PURINA ONE

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Sub-Brands: True Instinct, SmartBlend

Cost Per Day: $0.30-$0.40

Type: Supermarket

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice/Corn/Wheat/Soy

Grain-Free Starches: Canola/Cassava/Pea/Lentil

Starch Quality: Conventional but human-grade corn and focus on mycotoxin testing

Glyphosate Risk: Moderate

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Nestlé Purina

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.5 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: Not tried

Summary: Purina One (owned by Nestlé Purina) is an inexpensive kibble containing conventional meats and grains. Grain-inclusive versions contain rice, corn, wheat and soy. The grain-free versions contain canola, cassava, pea and lentil. All versions may be contaminated with glyphosate. A positive is that testing may ensure that large amounts of mycotoxins are not present in the food.

 

Purina One is another food from Nestlé Purina containing only a moderate amount of conventionally produced meat (as estimated by Dog Food Advisor) as well as conventionally grown mixed grains.

The discussion (above) about Purina Beneful regarding toxicity issues all may be taken to apply to this product line as well.

The grain-inclusive products include a variety of binders, including rice, corn, wheat and soy.

Purina One Sensitive Systems includes rice, barley, oatmeal and corn.

The wheat and oatmeal have the potential of being highly contaminated with glyphosate, and mycotoxin contamination also may be present.

The brand includes one grain-free item, the Purina One True Instinct Grain-Free Formula with Beef. It contains soybean meal, canola meal, cassava, pea starch, dried beet pulp and lentil flour as the binders.

Dog Food Advisor estimates that Purina One products contain a moderate amount of meat, much of it coming from by-product meal.

I see this as a lower-end version of Purina Beyond (which was spun off from this line and which Cocoa refused to eat) and therefore have not bothered to have Cocoa try it.

I would not want to feed my dog these foods due to the presence of conventional meat as well as the likely presence of various toxicity in them.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Purina One SmartBlend: 3.5 Stars

 

Recalls:

Salmonella (2013)

 

Purina One SmartBlend Chicken & Rice

Cost (8 lb): $12.50

Cost Per Day: $0.39

26% protein, 16% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken (Source of Glucosamine), Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal (Source of Glucosamine), Whole Grain Wheat, Soybean Meal, Beef Fat Naturally Preserved with Mixed-Tocopherols, Glycerin, Liver Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Mono and Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Caramel Color, Dried Carrots, Dried Peas, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Choline Chloride, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Sulfur. X-4154.

 

PURINA PRO PLAN

Living Clean Rating: 4 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Cost Per Day: $0.60-$0.70

Type: Veterinary

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: High/Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Corn/Rice/Wheat Gluten or Corn/Rice/Wheat Gluten/Wheat or Barley/Rice/Oats/Canola/Legumes

Grain-Free Starches: No Products

Starch Quality: Conventional but human-grade corn and focus on mycotoxin testing

Glyphosate Risk: High/Moderate/Low

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Probiotics: Bacillus Coagulans only

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not  discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Nestlé Purina

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.5-4.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 2-4 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Purina Pro Plan is a popular food among breeders and conventional veterinarians. It apparently uses conventional meats and binders. A few versions include just corn and rice; others also contain wheat (which may be more likely to be glyphosate-contaminated). The Sensitive Skin & Stomach version contains oats/canola/legumes (and so may be heavily contaminated with glyphosate) as well as farmed salmon (likely to be high in toxicity).

 

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

The food is very often recommended by conventional veterinarians and breeders.

In a poll that I conducted in a cockapoo-oriented group asking for information on which dry foods their dogs had been willing to eat, Purina Pro Plan was by far the most frequent response.

Most of the Purina Pro Plan products include non-organic corn, rice and whole-grain wheat as the main binder ingredients.

The wheat has the potential of being contaminated with glyphosate.

While corn and wheat are both often contaminated with mycotoxins, Purina’s mycotoxin testing (described in the section on Purina Beneful) conceivably may reduce the risk that this will be a major issue.

A few Purina Pro Plan products include only corn and rice as the binder ingredients. These include the Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20 (chicken), the Purina Pro Plan Performance 30/20 (beef or salmon), and the Purina Pro Plan Puppy Toy Breed (chicken).

Two additional products – the Purina Pro Plan Adult Toy Breed and Purina Pro Plan Adult Small Breed (both chicken) – contain only a very small amount of wheat germ in addition to the corn and rice.

The fact that these six products do not contain appreciable amounts of whole wheat or other ingredients likely to be contaminated with glyphosate makes them more interesting to me.

The Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach version uses non-organic barley, rice, oatmeal and canola meal as the binders. The oatmeal as well as possibly the canola are likely to be highly glyphosate-contaminated.

Cocoa has tried several Purina Pro Plan products.

The Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20 version is intended for active dogs and contains 30% protein and 20% fat. The main ingredients in this food are chicken, corn gluten meal, rice, beef fat, poultry by-product meal, corn, corn germ meal, dried egg product, fish meal, natural flavor and fish oil.

The Purina Pro Plan Toy Breed Puppy version contains 34% protein and 20% fat. The main ingredients are chicken, corn gluten meal, rice, poultry by-product meal, beef fat, whole grain corn, fish meal, dried egg product, corn germ meal, natural flavor, and fish oil.

Cocoa seems to be mostly willing to eat these two foods when his favorite foods are not available to him.

He has been much less enthusiastic about the Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20 Salmon version of the food, which is not a surprise since he is extremely picky about fish in general. That food contains 30% protein and 20% fat, with the main ingredients of salmon, corn gluten meal, rice, poultry by-product meal, whole grain corn, beef fat, corn germ meal, dried egg product, fish meal, natural flavor, and fish oil.

In addition, Cocoa has tried two Purina Pro Plan products that include whole grain wheat and thus have a higher likelihood of being contaminated with glyphosate.

The Purina Pro Plan Puppy Chicken Shredded Blend version contains 28% protein and 18% fat. The main ingredients are chicken, rice, poultry by-product meal, corn gluten meal, beef fat, soybean meal, whole grain wheat, whole grain corn, corn germ meal, dried egg product, natural flavor, dried yeast, glycerin, fish meal, and fish oil.

The Purina Pro Plan Puppy Large Breed Chicken & Rice version contains 28% protein and 13% fat. The main ingredients are chicken, rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal, whole grain wheat, beef fat, pea fiber, dried egg product, fish meal, natural flavor, fish oil, and soybean oil.

When I first gave him each of these two kibbles, Cocoa seemed quite enthusiastic and ate most or all of a small bowl of the food.

After that, however, Cocoa ignored these foods even when he was hungry.

In general, it’s my guess that Purina Pro Plan’s mycotoxin testing standards are not as stringent as Royal Canin’s, since Cocoa is far less enthusiastic about the Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20 and the Purina Pro Plan Toy Breed Puppy products than he is about some of the Royal Canin formulas with very similar ingredients.

This could explain at least in part why Royal Canin kibble is so much more expensive than Purina Pro Plan.

Considering that Royal Canin and Purina Pro Plan are very similar in terms of their ingredients, I likely will continue to buy just Royal Canin for Cocoa in the future since he seems to like some versions of it so much more than anything we have tried from Purina Pro Plan.

I might try the Purina Pro Plan Sport or Purina Pro Plan Toy Breed Puppy foods with other dogs to see if they liked it though.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Purina Pro Plan: 4 Stars

 

Cocoa Recommended

Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20: 4 Stars

Purina Pro Plan Toy Breed Puppy: 4 Stars

 

Formulas Using Only Corn & Rice

Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20 Chicken

Purina Pro Plan Performance 30/20 Salmon

Purina Pro Plan Performance 30/20 Beef

Purina Pro Plan Puppy Toy Breed Chicken

 

Formulas Using Corn, Rice & Wheat Germ

Adult Small Breed Chicken

Adult Toy Breed Chicken

 

Purina Pro Plan Puppy Chicken Shredded Blend

Cost (6 lb): $14.50

Cost Per day: $0.60

28% protein, 18% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Rice, Poultry By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed-tocopherols, Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Germ Meal, Dried Egg Product, Natural Flavor, Dried Yeast, Glycerin, Fish Meal, Fish Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Soybean Oil, Mono And Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Minerals [Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Choline Chloride, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Garlic Oil. F448919.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0

Cocoa Rating: 2

 

Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon

Cost (5 lb): $14.50

Cost Per Day: $0.73

26% protein, 16% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Salmon, Barley, Rice, Oat Meal, Canola Meal, Fish Meal (Source Of Glucosamine), Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed-tocopherols, Salmon Meal (Source Of Glucosamine), Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Oil, Chicory Root Inulin, Fish Oil, L-lysine Monohydrochloride, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Dl-methionine, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], Calcium Carbonate, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Choline Chloride, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (Vitamin C), Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0

 

RACHAEL RAY NUTRISH

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Peak, Dish, Zero Grains, Just 6

Cost Per Day: $0.30-$0.45

Type: Supermarket

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice or Legumes/Corn/Rice

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes/Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: Moderate/Low (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes (with chicken fat)

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: J.M. Smucker

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.5-4.5 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Summary: This inexpensive line of foods (owned by J.M. Smucker) contains conventional grains and binders. Most grain-inclusive versions include legumes and corn, though a few containing very low levels of protein contain only rice. Grain-free foods contain legumes as well as poatoes.

 

Rachael Ray Nutrish is a line of moderately priced pet foods founded in 2008 and previously owned by Ainsworth Pet Nutrition.

Ainsworth was purchased in 2018 for $1.7 billion by the packaged goods conglomerate J.M. Smucker, which also owns a variety of other lower-quality pet brands such as Natural Balance, Gravy Train, Milk-Bone and Meow Mix.

The products are said to be based on recipes that the celebrity chef Rachael Ray developed for her pet pit bull Isaboo, and a portion of the revenues are donated to the charitable organization Rachael’s Rescue.

Most of the grain-inclusive foods include a mix of grains (including rice, corn and barley) as well as legumes (including in some cases soybean meal).

The “Dish” line of products contains large pieces of dried fruits and vegetables (including carrots, potatoes, peas and apples) and dried pieces of meat, with either legumes or rice and legumes as the binder.

“Just Six” is a limited ingredient food line with either rice or peas as the binder.

“Peak” is a higher-protein line with potatoes, tapioca and peas as the binders.

The “Zero Grain” foods contain a combination of peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes and/or tapioca as the binders.

The website states that their chicken, turkey, bison and beef are “raised on U.S. farms” but provides no other information about what those “farms” (which conceivably could be factory farms) are like.

No information about how the other ingredients – such as meats, poultry, fish, grains or legumes – are produced is stated on the website either.

The only product in the Rachael Ray line that I could find that included just rice as the binder was the Rachael Ray Nutrish Just Six Lamb & Rice version.

However, this product appears to contain such a low amount of meat (20% protein and 13% fat) that I was hesitant to bother with it.

Cocoa instead tried the Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice recipe. The main ingredients are chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, dried peas, soybean meal, yellow corn, fish meal, chicken fat, flaxseed and natural flavor. It contains 28% protein and 16% fat.

Cocoa never would eat even one bite of this food.

My guess is that the quality of both the meat and the non-meat ingredients is so low that he found it to be unappealing.

I would not buy anything from this brand to feed another dog.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Rachael Ray Nutrish Peak: 4.5 Stars

Rachael Ray Nutrish Dish: 4.5 Stars

Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grains: 4.5 Stars

Rachael Ray Nutrish Just 6: 3.5 Stars

 

Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Chicken & Veggies

Cost (6 lb): $8.50

Cost Per Day: $0.35

26% protein, 14% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Soybean Meal, Whole Ground Corn, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Starch, Corn Gluten Meal, Brown Rice, Dicalcium Phosphate, Natural Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Dried Carrots, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Beet Powder (Color), Iron Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Biotin, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Selenium Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K), Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

 

Rachael Ray Nutrish Just 6 Lamb

Cost (6 lb): $10

Cost Per Day: $0.42

20% protein, 13% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Pork Flavor, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Biotin, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

 

RAWZ

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-free)

Cost: $1.35-$1.65/day

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: High

Grain-Inclusive Starches: No Products

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes/Tapioca

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: Moderate

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family (Jim Scott)

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: Not tried

Summary: Rawz is a higher-priced line of foods containing larger amounts of apparently conventional meat, sold only in independent pet food stores. Products are all grain-free and contain a combination of tapioca (a new ingredient for dog foods that seems potentially problematic) and legumes.

 

Rawz is a new pet food brand started by Jim Scott, whose family sold the Old Mother Hubbard Biscuit Company (including the Wellness pet food brand) to the Berwind Corporation in 2008 for $400 million.

Rawz is a family-owned company that has pledged to donate 100% of its net profits to charity.

Products are sold only through small retailers.

The promise with regard to the Rawz dry dog foods is that they are free of meat meals; high in animal protein; high in protein levels; and relatively low in both carbohydrates and fats.

For instance, the main ingredients in the poultry version are dehydrated chicken, dehydrated deboned chicken, chicken, turkey, chicken liver, turkey liver, turkey hearts, pea starch, tapioca, dried peas, dried egg product, flaxseeds, natural chicken flavor and dried tomato pomace. The product has 40% protein and 12% fat. 

Although Rawz states that a large amount of meat is used in the products, there is no information that I have been able to find on the website about how the meat is raised or how the non-meat ingredients are grown.

In addition, the website carries the following statement:

Rawz does not claim to be GMO-Free. Non-GMO claims are likely to be misleading. Without the USDA Organic label, you cannot be sure that every ingredient is not only itself GMO free, but also that any animal products included are from animals that were fed exclusively GMO free grains. We cannot be sure in all instances that this will be the case, so we do not make the claim.

I thus suspect that (as also seems to be the case with the Wellness line of products) all of the Rawz ingredients are conventionally produced.

The peas in the products are stated as being grown in the “western United States,” where glyphosate may be used as a pre-harvest desiccant on legumes.

The tapioca in the product is stated as being from Thailand, which is at least better from a toxicity perspective than if it were sourced from Brazil.

I have yet to see this brand for sale in stores or online.

I don’t think that Cocoa would eat this food since it contains tapioca, regardless of what the meat in the food is like.

As a result of my general concerns about the apparently conventional meat and the tapioca in the Rawz products, I don’t think that I would buy them for another dog either.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Rawz: 5 Stars

 

Rawz Chicken

Cost (3.5 lb): $25

Cost Per Day: $1.35

40% prrotein, 12% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Dehydrated Chicken, Dehydrated Deboned Chicken (Source Of Glucosamine And Chondroitin Sulfate), Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Liver, Turkey Liver, Turkey Hearts, Pea Starch, Tapioca Starch, Dried Peas, Dried Egg Product, Flaxseeds, Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Tomato Pomace, Salt, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Carbonate, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Calcium Iodate), Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Taurine, Citric Acid (Preservative), Rosemary Extract.

 

ROYAL CANIN

Living Clean Rating: 5 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Sub-Brands: Breed Health, Lifestyle Health, Size Health, Canine Health, Veterinary Diets

Cost Per Day: $1.20-$2.20

Type: Veterinary

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Moderate/Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Corn/Rice/Wheat or Corn/Rice/Wheat/Oats or Corn/Rice/Wheat/Peas or Corn/Rice/Wheat/Tapioca

Grain-Free Starches: No Products

Starch Quality: Conventional but focus on mycotoxin testing

Glyphosate Risk: High/Medium/Low

Mycotoxin Risk: Low

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Rosemary, Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Mars

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.0 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 1-5 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Royal Canin (owned by Mars) sells high-priced kibble that is said to be subjected to particularly rigorous toxicity testing and that is often recommended by conventional veterinarians. While no specific information is provided on the testing or on the processes used to raise the ingredients, many dogs seem to like this food and to do well on it. Versions containing just rice, corn and wheat gluten may be preferable since other versions (such as those containing oats or whole wheat) may be glyphosate contaminated. Many foods from this company have a very high grain content and so supplementing with ample amounts of fresh meat may be a good idea.

 

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. bought the brand in 2001 for $700 million.

Royal Canin produces a wide variety of formulas that are supposedly suitable for specific breeds 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 (and many conventional veterinarians seem to be especially enthusiastic about Royal Canin in general).

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

For instance, the product for cavalier King Charles spaniels is said to promote heart health and coat health with the inclusion of taurine, EPA, DHA, and L-carnitine.

Royal Canin dry foods all seem to be comprised primarily of grains and chicken by-products, along with some chicken fat, fish oil and nutritional supplements.

Binders used are mostly corn, rice, wheat gluten and beets.

Some versions also include wheat (presumably whole wheat), oats, peas or tapioca.

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.

Royal Canin products are often sold in veterinarians’ offices and are more expensive than virtually any other kibble on the market.

The fact that this company uses ingredients that are seem like they should be pretty inexpensive (grains and chicken by-products) and then charges such a high price for the foods was at first rather amazing to me, to the point that it took me a long time to even allow Cocoa to try the food.

I also am a little concerned about the use of the anticaking agent sodium silico aluminate in some versions of the foods. Although this appears to be a synthetic form of zeolite (which is often used as a detoxification supplement for humans) and is a GRAS (“generally recognized as safe”) food additive, I still have not found sufficient information to make me 100% convinced that the aluminum mentioned here is not any kind of threat.

Following is a conversation that I had with a representative from Royal Canin with regard to some toxicity-oriented questions:

Lisa: Your company uses a great deal of corn in your foods and so I am interested in whether you can provide any further information about the quality of the corn. For instance, do you use a specific grade of corn? Do you do mycotoxin testing on it or on the food? Might it be organic corn?

Royal Canin: While we do not source for GMO free or inclusive ingredients, we do test for toxins prior to the materials entering our facility.

Lisa: Are you using a particular grade of corn? Also, when you test, is this for trichothecenes and fumonisins or just for aflatoxin?

Royal Canin: Royal Canin holds our manufacturing process to incredibly high standards. Our factories have multiple ISO certifications for quality and food safety. We test all of our ingredients prior to inclusion into our products. We also test the finished product to ensure that our diets will consistently provide the nutrition that cats and dogs need.

On another occasion, a company representative responded to a question about the specifics of their mycotoxin testing as follows:

Thank you for reaching out to Royal Canin, we appreciate your inquiry. To ensure the health and well-being of pets, our products are designed to be safe, nutritious and enjoyable. At Royal Canin US, all our ingredients are carefully selected for the health and well-being of the cats and dogs we feed. For this reason, all the raw materials are monitored and checked by Royal Canin’s laboratory quality.

Mycotoxins are natural toxicants that can occur in cereal crops. They’re produced by different types of microscopic fungi which in certain environmental conditions can colonize crops, multiply, and produce mycotoxins. To help ensure the safety of our pets there are pet food industry standards and regulations defining maximum safe levels for specific mycotoxins in pet food. In addition to these standards, Royal Canin has very strict internal maximum safety limits for levels of mycotoxins. I apologize for any inconvenience as information for specified levels are proprietary thus are unavailable to the public. 

These responses seemed remarkably non-transparent to me, making me even more skeptical about the products.

However, the fact that several of the Royal Canin products have become Cocoa’s favorite kibbles and that he seems to be doing well on them in terms of his health has made me reconsider my opinion about them.

Pretty much across the board, the puppy versions of the Royal Canin products contain what seem to be much more appropriate amounts of meat than the adult versions (which seem to consist mostly of grains), and Cocoa seems to strongly prefer the puppy versions.

The puppy versions of the food also contain more fat than the adult versions, and some people may consider that to be a problem for some dogs.

However, my suspicion is that the puppy versions are going to be a much better choice for many adult dogs, and I am planning to continue to feed them to Cocoa since he likes them and is doing well on them.

Cocoa’s very favorite kibble is the Royal Canin Small Breed Starter, which is intended for pregnant/lactating dogs and newly weaned puppies. It contains 28% protein and 20% fat, with the main ingredients of chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, chicken fat, corn, wheat gluten, beet pulp, natural flavors and fish oil.

Cocoa also has been pretty enthusiastic about the Royal Canin Small Breed Puppy and Royal Canin Poodle Puppy versions. The ingredients and protein/fat levels in these are similar to those of the Starter food.

Cocoa has been willing to eat the Royal Canin Cavalier King Charles Puppy food but has been less enthusiastic about it even though the main ingredients are the same as in the other puppy kibbles. The food does have a few added nutritional supplements that seem designed to help with heart issues that perhaps Cocoa does not like or need, though.

Cocoa has been sporadically willing to eat the grain-heavy Royal Canin Poodle kibble but does not like it nearly as much as any of the puppy kibbles listed above. The main ingredients are corn, brewers rice, wheat gluten, chicken by-product meal, chicken fat, corn gluten meal,  natural flavors, dried plain beet pulp, vegetable oil, fish oil, grain distillers dried yeast and powdered dellulose. It contains 28% protein (apparently most of it from the grains) and 17% fat.

Cocoa ate a small amount of the Royal Canin Medium Breed Puppy kibble the first time I gave it to him but since then has refused the food. The main ingredients are chicken by-product meal, chicken fat, brewers rice, corn, wheat, corn gluten meal, dried plain beet pulp, wheat gluten, natural flavors, brewers rice flour, fish oil and vegetable oil. The food contains 30% protein and 18% fat.

In looking at the ingredients lists, I noted that while the Royal Canin foods that Cocoa likes include “wheat gluten,” the Medium Breed Puppy food also includes “wheat.”

(The Poodle Puppy food also lists wheat, but the amount seems like it may be very small since it is listed just above “natural flavors.”)

It makes some sense to me that Cocoa would object less to wheat gluten than to wheat, since with wheat gluten the outer part of the grain is removed, causing a large decrease in the amount of glyphosate and mycotoxins that may be present.

Cocoa initially seemed to like the Royal Canin Cocker Spaniel kibble but totally gave up on it after eating a few handfuls. The main ingredients for this food are brewers rice, brown rice, chicken by-product meal, oat groats, chicken fat, corn gluten meal, wheat gluten, natural flavors, dried plain beet pulp and fish oil, with 23% protein and 12% fat.

Cocoa would not eat the Royal Canin Pomeranian kibble at all. It contains brewers rice, corn, chicken by-product meal, chicken fat, oat groats, wheat gluten, corn gluten meal, brown rice, natural flavors, dried chicory root and fish oil, with 24% protein and 14% fat.

Both of these foods contain non-organic oats, as well as lower protein and fat levels than the Royal Canin foods that Cocoa has liked.

My guess is that glyphosate contamination is the issue with these foods and that none of the other Royal Canin foods containing substantial amounts of either oats or wheat would be acceptable to Cocoa either.

A few of the Royal Canin foods contain peas rather than oats, and it is possible that those foods might be contaminated with glyphosate as well. At some point I will have Cocoa give them a try.

A single Royal Canin version – intended for Great Danes – includes tapioca (which Cocoa seems to really dislike) as a binder ingredient.

Note that if indeed glyphosate is a problem with some of the Royal Canin kibbles, then probably the versions that are made in France would be fine since glyphosate is not used as a pre-harvest desiccant in that country.

I wish that Royal Canin would consider using organic wheat, oats and legumes when sourcing these ingredients from the U.S., since then the products sold in the U.S. likely would be much more similar to the ones being sold in France rather than being glyphosate-contaminated.

The fact that Cocoa has liked some of the Royal Canin foods so much makes me think that the company must be actually doing what they say that they are and using fairly stringent standards with regard to mycotoxins and also sourcing other quality ingredients (including chicken produced in a more reasonable way rather than factory farmed).

Cocoa’s health even seems to have improved since he started eating the Royal Canin Starter food instead of most of his other kibble – his eyes are less drippy, and his poops are more firm, and his fur seems a little softer.

In addition, I have met quite a few dogs who eat Royal Canin foods as a major part of their diets on a regular basis, and overall they have seemed to be relatively vigorous and healthy for their age.

Note, though, that basically all of those dogs also eat substantial amounts of freshly cooked meat intended for humans as a supplement to their dog food and that it’s my feeling that probably most Royal Canin kibbles have too much grain and not enough animal protein to be an ideal food source on their own.

I personally feel like the Royal Canin foods (especially the Royal Canin Small Breed Starter) smell better to me than any other dog kibble that I have encountered – somewhat like a clean roast chicken with cornbread stuffing. So I can see why Cocoa likes it so much.

Therefore, although I was extremely skeptical about Royal Canin at first due to its corporate ownership and ingredients lists and lack of transparency in answering questions, I have changed my mind and now think that some versions of the food appear to be a pretty good choice.

It just is really unfortunate that some of the other Royal Canin versions sold in the U.S. apparently are being ruined through the use of glyphosate-tainted grains.

Information on the current binder content of each of the Royal Canin formulas is listed below.

While I am not suggesting that the logic of buying kibble for particular breeds or sizes or lifestages of dogs has no merit at all, I think that avoiding toxicity is much more important and thus that choosing one of the products that contains only corn, rice and wheat gluten as the binders may be a good strategy regardless of whether it is intended for the breed or age of dog that is being fed.

One last comment about Royal Canin is that especially since the advent of Covid, many of their products have been unavailable from the factory for long stretches of time. The company website states:

We have experienced incredible growth in demand for our products at a time when a broader global crisis is putting additional strain on all of us. Despite our best efforts to supply enough of our diets to meet the increased demand, we recognize that we are not meeting your expectations, nor ours.

This is a bit of a concern to me mostly because I wonder if some of their supply chain problems are due to grains in general being moldier than in the past and therefore not meeting their testing standards.

Apparently, whatever the problem is, it’s bad enough that they have changed some of their formulas as a result. I hope that they do not lower their testing standards as well.

 

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Cocoa Approved

Royal Canin Cavlier King Charles Puppy: 5 Stars

Royal Canin Poodle Puppy: 5 Stars

Royal Canin Small Puppy: 5 Stars

Royal Canin Small Starter: 5 Stars

Royal Canin Poodle: 3 Stars

 

Dog Food Advisor

Royal Canin: 3 Stars

 

Royal Canin Versions Without Wheat/Oats/Peas/Tapioca
(These do contain wheat gluten)
X-Small
X-Small Puppy
Small
Small Starter Mother & Babydog
Small Puppy
Small Indoor Puppy
Small Indoor Senior
Giant Puppy
Giant Junior
Cavalier King Charles Puppy
Chihuahua 8+
Dachshund 8+
Dachshund Puppy
German Shepherd 5+
Maltese
Poodle
Poodle 8+
Pug Puppy
Shih Tzu Puppy
Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier Puppy

Royal Canin Versions With Wheat
(These also contain wheat gluten)
Small Aging 12+
Medium Puppy
Medium Aging 10+
Large
Large Puppy
Large Joint Care
Dalmation
Jack Russell Terrier
Jack Russell Terrier Puppy
Miniature Schnauzer Puppy
Poodle Puppy
Rottweiler
West Highland White Terrier

Royal Canin Versions With Peas
(These contain wheat gluten and some also contain wheat)
Small Indoor
Small Coat Care
Small Comfort Care
Small Dental Care
Small Digestive Care
Small Weight Care
Medium Comfort Care
Medium Dental Care
Medium Digestive Care
Medium Weight Care
Large Aging 8+
Large Comfort Care
Large Digestive Care
Giant
Beagle
Cavalier King Charles
Rottweiler Puppy
Setter
Yorkshire Terrier 8+

Royal Canin Versions With Oats
(These contain wheat gluten and some also contain wheat)
Small Sensitive Skin Care
Medium Adult
Medium 7+
Medium Sensitive Skin Care
Large 5+
Large Sensitive Skin Care
Boxer
Boxer Puppy
Bulldog
Bulldog Puppy
Chihuahua
Chihuahua Puppy
Cocker Spaniel
Dachshund
German Shepherd
German Shepherd Puppy
Golden Retriever
Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retriever 5+
Miniature Schnauzer
Pomeranian
Pug

Royal Canin Versions With Tapioca
(These contain wheat gluten)
Great Dane

 

Royal Canin Poodle

Cost (2.5 lb): $19

Cost Per Day: $1.89

28% protein, 17% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Corn, Brewers Rice, Wheat Gluten, Chicken By-Product Meal, Chicken Fat, Corn Gluten Meal, Natural Flavors, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Vegetable Oil, Fish Oil, Grain Distillers Dried Yeast, Powdered Cellulose, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, L-Lysine, Sodium Silico Aluminate, Dl-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Fructooligosaccharides, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Salt, Taurine, Vitamins [Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Source of Vitamin E), Inositol, Niacin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Acetate, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement], Choline Chloride, L-Cystine, L-Tyrosine, Marigold Extract (Tagetes Erecta L.), Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Trace Minerals [Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Copper Proteinate], Tea, L-Carnitine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Rosemary Extract, Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid.

 

SPOT & TANGO

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive), 2 Stars (grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Unkibble

Cost Per Day: $2.50-$2.90

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: Humanely raised and antibiotic-free from local farms

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice/Sweet Potatoes/Veggies or Barley/Veggies

Grain-Free Starches: Tapioca/Sweet Potatoes/Veggies

Starch Quality: Non-GMO sourced directly from trusted farms

Glyphosate Risk: Low

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Yes

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Rosemary, Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Independent (Russell Breuer)

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not rated

Cocoa Rating: 3 Stars (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Spot & Tango has focused its efforts mostly on selling cooked frozen food to dog owners through mail order but also sells a kibble-like product that is cooked at a lower temperature than traditional kibble. “Unkibble” contains apparently conventional meat and conventional binders, mostly produced by smaller local farms. Grain-inclusive versions contain rice or barley, as well as sweet potatoes and other vegetables. The grain-free version contains tapioca, sweet potatoes and veggies as the binders.

 

Spot & Tango is an independently owned company selling higher-priced dog foods through a direct-delivery subscription service.

While the company has focused primarily on its frozen foods, it recently introduced a scoopable dried food called “Unkibble.”

The food uses “human-grade” ingredients and is dried at a low temperature with the goal of preserving more of the color, flavor and nutrition of fresh food.

Unkibble comes in three varieties, all of which include a combination of animal protein, starch, vegetables and nutritional supplements.

Spot & Tango Unkibble Beef & Barley includes beef, barley, flax, carrots, green beans, beef liver, beef heart, beets, cranberries, rosemary, kelp, salt, mixed tocopherols, vitamins and minerals. It has 27% protein and 16% fat.

Spot & Tango Unkibble Chicken & Brown Rice includes chicken, brown rice, sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, kale, chicken liver, chicken gizzard, sunflower seeds, ginger root, kelp, salt, mixed tocopherols, vitamins and minerals. It has 27% protein and 16% fat.

Spot & Tango Unkibble Grain-Free Duck & Salmon contains duck, salmon, flax, tapioca, sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, apples, chia seeds, parsley, kelp, salt, mixed tocopherols, vitamins and minerals. It contains 27% protein and 25% fat.

The website states:

Our ingredients are thoughtfully sourced from local farms and human food suppliers in the US. We use only fresh, whole-food ingredients that meet USDA standards for human consumption. This means we never use feed-grade ingredients, meat meals, or anything artificial.

Spot & Tango states that their meats are humanely raised, antibiotic-free, and obtained from local farms.

Barley and brown rice tend to be better with many kinds of toxicity than are other grains and so I feel somewhat optimistic about their use here.

The duck/salmon formula contains non-organic tapioca without stating the country of origin, which makes me concerned that it may be being sourced from Brazil and thus possibly contaminated with a variety of especially toxic pesticides.

In addition, I have general concerns about whether tapioca should ever be used as a principal component of any dog’s diet, since even properly prepared cassava/tapioca contains cyanide that a dog’s digestive system may not be able to nullify fully and since Cocoa refuses to eat anything more than trivial amounts of cassava/tapioca.

Cocoa previously tried several different flavors of Spot & Tango frozen food. Although I thought that the food looked attractive, he demonstrated no interest in it based on the smell and refused to eat even one bite.

He seemed to like the Spot & Tango Unkibble Chicken somewhat more and would sometimes finish off a small bowl of it when his favorite kibbles were not available to him.

My observation about the food is that the consistency seems similar to that of Bil-Jac kibble, which is also stated as being cooked at a lower temperature than most kibble.

In both cases, I can break the food up with my fingers (suggesting to me that it is likely easier to chew and perhaps tastier than regular kibble).

However, my dog much prefers Bil-Jac to Unkibble Chicken, even though Bil-Jac is much less expensive.

Most recently, Cocoa tried Spot & Tango Unkibble Beef.  He has nibbled at it a little on a few occasions but never has actually eaten an entire small bowl of it.

One problem that I have with Spot & Tango Unkibble is that the only way to get any of it is to sign up for the company’s subscription service, which assumes that people will be feeding just this food and nothing else to their dogs.

I think that I should be able to buy a bag of the food as desired (and then possibly to pay extra shipping charges if my total order size is below a certain amount).

However, I might consider trying the grain-inclusive products with any new dog that I acquired.

I don’t think that I would buy the grain-free version since I would feel uncomfortable with the idea of my dog eating very much tapioca even if he or she did not object to it.

 

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Cocoa Approved

Spot & Tango Unkibble Chicken: 3 Stars

 

Spot & Tango Unkibble Chicken

Cost Per Day: $2.89

27% protein, 16% fat, 4% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Brown Rice, Sweet Potato, Carrots, Apples, Kale, Chicken Liver, Chicken Gizzards, Sunflower Seeds, Ginger Root, Kelp, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols (natural vitamin E), Vitamins & Minerals (Cellulose powder, Fish oil, L-Tryptophan, Choline Chloride, Organic Zinc proteinate, Potassium Chloride, Rosemary extract and Mixed tocopherols, Iron amino acid chelate, Vitamin E supplement, organic selenium yeast, calcium carbonate, Natural blend of vitamins (Beet, Tomato, Broccoli, Carrot, Spinach, Orange, Cherry, Cranberry, Strawberry, Apple, Blueberry, Pumpkin), Riboflavin, Pyridoxin hydrochloride, Folic Acid)

 

Spot & Tango Unkibble Beef

Cost Per Day: $2.89

27% Protein, 16% Fat, 2% Moisture

Ingredients: Beef, Barley, Flax, Carrots, Green Beans, Beef Liver, Beef Heart, Beets, Cranberries, Rosemary, Kelp, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols (natural source of Vitamin E), Vitamins & Minerals

 

Spot & Tango Unkibble Duck & Salmon

Cost Per Day: $2.89

30% Protein, 25% Fat, 2% Moisture

Ingredients: Duck, Salmon, Flax, Tapioca, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Spinach, Apples, Chia Seeds, Parsley, Kelp, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols (natural source of Vitamin E), Vitamins & Minerals

 

Stella & Chewy’s

Living Clean Rating: 4 Stars (grain-free), 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Sub-Brands: Stella’s Essentials, Raw Coated Baked, Raw Blend Baked, Wild Red

Cost Per Day: $1.40-$1.80

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: Grass-fed, cage-free, farm-raised or wild-caught

Meat Quantity: High

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Barley/Oats/Brown Rice/Millet or Oats/Barley/Quinoa or Barley/Oats/Millet

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes or Sweet Potato/Potato/Tapioca or Sweet Potato/Potato

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Rosemary, Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Individual (Marie Moody)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 4 Stars (grain-free); 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Stella & Chewy’s kibbles contain high quantities of the higher-quality pastured/cage-free meats used in the company’s popular freeze-dried and frozen products. However, binders are non-organic and grain-inclusive versions all use grains (including oats and millet) that may be contaminated with glyphosate. Grain-free versions are available with sweet potato/potato (and in some cases tapioca) or just legumes. Cocoa seemed to enjoy a grain-free version with just legumes in it but rejected versions with grains or tapioca. The kibble should be used up very quickly to keep it from becoming rancid.

 

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 more recently has begun selling kibble.

Several kibble lines are available only in neighborhood pet stores (with some also being sold via the Only Natural website). These include Raw Coated Baked Kibble; Raw Blend Baked Kibble (which adds pieces of freeze-dried food); and Stella’s Essentials (a lower-priced line).

The Healthy Grains versions of the Raw Coated and Raw Blend kibbles include oatmeal, barley, pumpkin and quinoa.

The Grain-Free versions include peas and lentils.

The Stella’s Essential kibbles contain either barley/oats/brown rice/millet or lentils/peas/chickpeas.

More recently, Stella & Chewy’s introduced a line of kibble called Wild Red that is available through both larger and smaller retailers (including the Chewy website).

Some of these foods include raw coatings or pieces of freeze-dried food as well.

The Wild Red Healthy Blend versions use barley and oats (and in some cases millet) as the binders.

The Wild Red Grain-Free versions use sweet potatoes and potatoes (and in some cases tapioca) as the binders.

Stella & Chewy’s 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 binders in Stella & Chewy’s kibble have the potential of being contaminated with glyphosate due to the use of that chemical as a pre-harvest desiccant on oats, millet and legumes. The company responded to my queries on the topic with the following statement:

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that can kill certain weeds and grasses. It works by blocking an enzyme essential for plant growth.  This is an FDA regulated pesticide and FDA’s role is to conduct routine monitoring for residual presence of pesticides on domestic and imported food materials.  The regulatory limits are established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  The EPA limits are established for use of the pesticides according to label directions.  The EPA has continued to identify that there are no risks to public health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its label.   The use of the pesticide for the described drying enhancement would be an off-label use and not fitting the regulatory requirements for the chemical. 

Additionally, our supplier partners continually review the FDA pesticide residue monitoring reports to assure that crop product purchases are safe for use.  They also perform their own pesticide monitoring as verification.

I’m not very happy about Stella & Chewy’s defense of the use of glyphosate just because the EPA (a governmental agency that has been especially compromised in recent years) has continued to state that there are “no risks” associated with it.

In addition, regardless of whether the use of glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant is properly described as an “off-label use,” this type of usage occurs very frequently in oats/millet and also occurs in legumes.

I am not of the understanding that standard pesticide residue reports are looking for glyphosate at all due to the allowable levels of the chemical on most crops having been set extraordinarily high, and so Stella & Chewy’s comments do not reassure me much with regard to the glyphosate issue.

Cocoa has really liked some different flavors of the freeze-dried Stella & Chewy’s Meal Mixers and so it is my belief that the company’s meat quality must be pretty good.

The question mark for me, therefore, was the binders used in the kibbles.

Cocoa has tried two of the Stella & Chewy’s kibbles sold only in independent pet stores (purchased from the Only Natural website).

One was the Stella & Chewy’s Grain-Free Chicken Raw-Coated Kibble Puppy food. It contains 36% protein and 16% fat, with the main ingredients of chicken, chicken meal, peas, lentils, chicken fat, salmon oil, chicken heart, chicken liver and natural chicken flavor.

Cocoa ate this kibble willingly on quite a few occasions, sometimes in preference to his other favorite kibbles.

However, he basically stopped eating it at all after just a few weeks, presumably because it had become too rancid for him. (I will try buying it again soon to confirm that he still likes it when fresh.)

The other was the Stella & Chewy’s Wholesome Grains Small Breed Beef version. The main ingredients are beef, lamb meal, oatmeal, barley, pork meal, beef liver, beef fat, pumpkin, quinoa, natural vegetable flavor, chia seed, beef kidney, beef tripe, beef bone, sunflower oil, flaxseed, salmon oil, coconut flour and ginger. It has 27% protein and 17% fat.

Cocoa totally ignored this food on each of the many times that I put it out for him, no matter how hungry he was.

Since this food contains no ingredients that Cocoa has not eaten many times in other kibbles, and since Cocoa has really liked the Stella & Chewy’s Meal Mixers as well as the grain-free Stella & Chewy’s kibble,  I am left to conclude that the grains being used in this kibble must be pretty highly contaminated with something problematic (very likely glyphosate though mycotoxins also could be an issue).

I wish that the company would try switching to organic oats, since this would increase the cost only slightly and possibly resolve the problem entirely.

Most recently, Cocoa tried the Stella & Chewy’s Wild Red Raw-Coated Grain-Free Puppy Prairie Recipe. The main ingredients are chicken, turkey, chicken meal, sweet potato, tapioca, natural chicken flavor, chicken fat, chicken liver, turkey meal, tomato pomace, ground flaxseed, quail, guineafowl, goose, duck, chicken gizzards, pumpkin, ground pumpkin seeds, chia seed, organic cranberries, organic spinach, organic broccoli, organic beets, organic carrots, organic squash and organic blueberries, with 36% protein and 17% fat.

Perhaps because of the use of the tapioca, Cocoa would not eat this food at all.

If I were looking to buy a grain-free kibble, the Stella & Chewy’s version sold in neighborhood stores would be one of my first choices since it contains a high protein/meat content and since Cocoa has been enthusiastic about it.

I would want to use up the product quickly after opening the bag though, since it seems to go rancid pretty fast.

I would not bother with the Wild Red grain-free products or with any of the company’s grain-inclusive products unless the formulas were changed to include less problematic ingredients.

 

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Cocoa Approved

Stella & Chewy’s Grain-Free Puppy Chicken: 4 Stars

 

Dog Food Advisor

Stella & Chewy’s Raw Coated Kibble: 5 Stars

 

Stella & Chewy’s Raw Coated Kibble Healthy Grains Beef 

Cost (3.5 lb): $20

Cost Per Day: $1.43

27% protein, 17% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Beef, lamb meal, oatmeal, pearled barley, pork meal, beef liver, beef fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), pumpkin, quinoa, natural vegetable flavor, beef kidney, beef tripe, beef bone, sunflower oil, flaxseed, salmon oil, coconut flour, salt, pumpkin seed, organic cranberries, organic spinach, organic beets, organic carrots, organic squash, organic blueberries, inulin (from chicory root), thyme, sage, rosemary extract, tocopherols (preservative), dried kelp, choline chloride, potassium chloride, taurine, calcium carbonate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium longum fermentation product, dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product.

 

Stella & Chewy’s Cage-Free Grain-Free Raw Blend Kibble

Cost (3.5 lb): $25

Cost Per Day: $1.79

36% protein, 15% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, peas, lentils, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), duck, chicken liver, natural chicken flavor, quail, salmon oil, sun cured alfalfa, chicken gizzard, flaxseed, fenugreek seed, pumpkin, coconut flour, pumpkin seed, organic cranberries, organic spinach, organic broccoli, organic beets, organic carrots, organic squash, organic blueberries, inulin (from chicory root), thyme, sage, rosemary extract, tocopherols (preservative), dried kelp, taurine, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, salt, dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium longum fermentation product, dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product.

 

TASTE OF THE WILD

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-free), 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Sub-Brands: Original, Prey, Ancient Grains

Cost Per Day: $0.65-$0.75

Type: Pet Store

Meat Quality: Pasture-raised lamb/bison/venison/beef; sustainably sourced salmon (blend of wild-caught and farmed); spring-fed trout; ocean fish meal; wild boar; cage-free turkey; apparently wild duck/quail; apparently conventional farm-raised pork

Meat Quantity: High/Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Sorghum/Barley/Millet/Quinoa

Grain-Free Starches: Sweet Potatoes/Legumes/Potatoes or Lentils

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Nutritional supplements are from China

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Family (Diamond Pet Foods)

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0-4.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Summary: Taste of the Wild (owned by Diamond Pet Foods) includes higher-quality pastured/cage-free meats. The grain-inclusive versions all include sorghum and millet, which are at a high risk for glyphosate contamination. Most grain-free versions include a mix of sweet potatoes, potatoes and legumes, while the limited ingredient versions have just lentils.

 

Taste of the Wild kibble (which is produced and marketed by Diamond Pet Foods) includes a variety of protein sources, such as wild boar, bison, roasted duck, venison, smoked salmon, trout, quail and Angus beef.

The suggested benefit seems to be that the foods may be especially appealing to dogs from a taste perspective and that they also may be appropriate for some dogs suffering from food sensitivities.

The animal products used are stated as being more naturally raised rather than factory-farmed, including cage-free poultry, pastured meats and wild-caught fish.

Taste of the Wild’s products have historically all been grain-free, but recently a few grain-inclusive items have been introduced.

The binder content for each version is listed below.

Most of the grain-free products contain a mix of legumes and potatoes (in some cases with sweet potatoes added).

The company’s Prey line is more limited-ingredient and contains only lentils as the binder.

The new grain-inclusive varieties include a combination of sorghum, millet and barley.

I’ve yet to find anything that suggests that any of these binder ingredients are organic or sourced in any particular way, meaning that all the formulas have the potential of being contaminated with substantial amounts of glyphosate as well as mycotoxins.

The grain-inclusive varieties seem to be especially at risk due to the use of substantial amounts of sorghum.

According to the 2018 FDA report, Taste of the Wild was one of the three brands most strongly associated with dilated cardiomyopathy incidents.

Of the 515 cases investigated by the FDA, 53 of the dogs had been eating Taste of the Wild grain-free formulas.

Based on the protein levels listed, it looks to me like Taste of the Wild products have a meat content that is more similar to that of Acana kibble (50-75% meat) than Orijen (85-90% meat).

As with the Acana kibble, it seems to me like it may be a prudent strategy to supplement with substantial amounts of raw/cooked/dehydrated meat when feeding the grain-free versions of this product line in order to compensate for the high levels of legumes present.

Cocoa has tried four Taste of the Wild formulas.

The first was the Wild Ancient Prairie with Ancient Grains version. The main ingredients are buffalo, pork, chicken meal, grain sorghum, millet, chicken fat, cracked pearled barley, dried yeast, roasted bison, roasted venison, natural flavor, flaxseed, beef, quinoa, chia seed, tomato pomace and salmon oil.

Cocoa refused to eat any of this food.

Since Taste of the Wild’s meats sound as if they should be okay (and since Diamond Naturals’ meats appear to be fine), my suspicion here is that the sorghum and millet were badly glyphosate-contaminated.

Since all of the Taste of the Wild grain-inclusive formulas contain sorghum and millet, it seemed fairly pointless to have Cocoa try the others.

Of Taste of the Wild’s grain-free products, the only ones that do not contain potatoes (which Cocoa seems to dislike) are those in the company’s “Prey” line.

I got samples of all three versions – Taste of the Wild Prey Grain-Free Angus Beef (with pasture-raised beef); Taste of the Wild Prey Grain-Free Turkey (with cage-free turkey), and Taste of the Wild Prey Grain-Free Trout (with spring-fed trout).

In addition to the main animal protein, the foods contain just lentils, tomato pomace, sunflower oil, natural flavor, salmon oil, and various nutritional supplements.

Cocoa would not eat any of these foods either.

This is all a little disappointing for me since he really likes certain products from Diamond Naturals and since Taste of the Wild is a popular product among many people interested in natural health.

As things stand right now, I am not feeling good about these products and would not buy any of them again for a new dog unless the binder ingredients were to change in a substantial way.

Perhaps they should try making a formula using their current meats but with rice and barley as the only binders, for instance.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Taste of the Wild Grain-Free: 4.5 Stars

Taste of the Wild Ancient Grains: 4.5 Stars

Taste of the Wild Prey: 4 Stars

 

Recalls

Salmonella (2012)

 

Taste of the Wild Varieties – Binder Content

Mixed Legumes:
Appalachian Valley Small Breed (venison/lamb); 32/18
Pine Forest Canine (venison/lamb): 28/15
Southwest Canyon (beef/lamb/wild boar): 29/15

Sweet Potatoes/Legumes/Potatoes:
High Prairie Canine (water buffalo/lamb/chicken/venison); 32/18
High Prairie Puppy (water buffalo/lamb/chicken/venison); 28/17
Pacific Stream (salmon/ocean fish): 25/15
Pacific Stream Puppy (salmon/ocean fish): 27/15
Sierra Mountain (lamb): 25/15
Wetlands Canine (duck/chicken/ocean fish/quail/turkey): 32/18

Lentils:
Prey Turkey: 30/15
Prey Trout: 27/15
Prey Angus Beef: 27/15

Sorghum/Millet/Barley:
Ancient Prairie (buffalo/pork/chicken): 32/18
Ancient Mountain (lamb): 25/15
Ancient Wetlands (duck/chicken/quail/turkey): 32/18
Ancient Strem (salmon, ocean fish): 30/15

 

Taste of the Wild Ancient Prairie with Ancient Grains

Cost (5 lb): $14

Cost Per Day: $0.70

32% protein, 18% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Buffalo, Pork, Chicken Meal, Grain Sorghum, Millet, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Cracked Pearled Barley, Dried Yeast, Roasted Bison, Roasted Venison, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Beef, Quinoa, Chia Seed, Tomato Pomace, Salmon Oil (A Source Of Dha), Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Dl-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Dried Chicory Root, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Raspberries, Yucca Schidigera Extract, L-Carnitine, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid. Contains A Source Of Live (Viable), Naturally Occurring Microorganisms.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0

Cocoa Rating: 1

 

Taste of the Wild Prey Angus Beef

Cost (8 lb): $22

Cost Per Day: $0.69

27% protein, 15% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Beef, Lentils, Tomato Pomace, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salmon Oil (Source Of Dha), Salt, Dl-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid. Contains A Source Of Live (Viable), Naturally Occurring Microorganisms.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0

 

TENDER & TRUE

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Cost Per Day: $0.90-$1.10

Type: Organic

Meat Quality: Certified humanely raised poultry (certified organic in some versions); ocean-caught whitefish or wild-caught salmon

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice/Tapioca/Potato/Flax

Grain-Free Starches: Tapioca/Legumes/Potatoes or Potato/Tapioca/Legumes

Starch Quality: Organic (Grain-Free) or Conventional (Grain-Inclusive)

Glyphosate Risk: Low

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Independent

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5-5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Summary: Tender & True kibbles include humanely raised poultry or wild-caught fish. Some grain-free versions (containing tapioca, peas, chickpeas, flaxseed and potato) are certified organic. Grain-inclusive versions contain rice, tapioca, potato and flax. Since all versions contain both tapioca and potato, these foods may not be appropriate for all dogs.

 

Tender & True is an independent company founded in 2014 to offer USDA-certified organic dog foods.

The company also has obtained certifications for its products from the Global Animal Partnership (GAP); the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC); and the Non-GMO Project.

The certified organic foods are available in Small Breed Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken & Liver, and Organic Turkey & Liver varieties.

These USDA-certified foods are guaranteed to include 95% organic ingredients.

All three are grain-free, with the binders consisting of tapioca, peas, chickpeas, flaxseed and potato.

The company also offers two non-organic fish-based kibbles featuring either wild-caught Alaskan salmon or wild-caught ocean whitefish. The binder ingredients include non-organic tapioca, potato, flaxseed and peas (with the salmon version also containing some sweet potato).

There also is a new line of non-organic chicken and rice or turkey and rice foods, featuring humanely raised poultry. Those products include non-organic rice, tapioca, potato and flaxseed as the binders.

Tender & True was kind enough to send me a package with a variety of different samples, including two different kibbles (the Tender & True Organic Small Breed Chicken & Liver and the non-organic Tender & True Chicken & Brown Rice); their 100% organic, freeze-dried Farmers’ Market product; and three certified organic, jerky-style treats.

Cocoa declined to eat even a bite of any of these foods.

In retrospect, I am not surprised at all that Cocoa would not eat the kibbles since they include both tapioca and potatoes (both of which he seems to detest).

However, the fact that he refused to eat the other products (which supposedly include only organic ingredients that Cocoa has eaten many other times) puzzles me and makes me wonder if there is a deeper problem with this company’s products than just the inclusion of tapioca and potatoes in the kibble.

Offhand, I am wondering about either an environmental toxic mold problem in the factory or an ingredient sourcing problem, but perhaps something else could be going on.

Regardless, I have become uncomfortable enough with the use of either potatoes or tapioca in dog food that I would be disinclined to feed Tender & True kibble to any dog regardless of whether he or she was willing to eat it.

 

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Dog Food Advisor:

Tender & True: 4.5 Stars

 

Tender & True Organic Grain-Free Chicken & Liver

Cost (4 lb): $17

Cost Per Day: $1.06

26% protein, 16% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Organic Chicken, Organic Chicken Meal, Organic Tapioca Starch, Organic Dried Pea, Organic Chickpea, Organic Flaxseed Meal, Organic Potato Flour, Organic Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Organic Pea Flour, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Liver Digest Meal, Menhaden Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Choline Chloride, Salt, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Manganese Proteinate, Inositol, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Iron Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Sodium Selenite, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Citric Acid (Preservative), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0

Cocoa Rating: 1

 

Tender & True Chicken & Brown Rice

Cost (4 lb): $15

Cost Per Day: $0.94

26% protein, 16% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch, Flaxseed Meal, Whitefish Meal, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Liver Digest Meal, Chicken Liver, Menhaden Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Potato Flour, Monosodium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Taurine, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Manganese Proteinate, Inositol, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Iron Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Sodium Selenite, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Citric Acid (Preservative), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide.

Cocoa Rating: 1

 

THE HONEST KITCHEN

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars (grain-free), 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Cost Per Day: $1.00-$1.50

Type: Super-Premium

Meat Quality: Cage-free chicken

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Oats/Barley

Grain-Free Starches: Potatoes/Legumes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Yes

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Bacillus Coagulans only

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: None

Ownership: Independent (Lucy Postins)

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Summary: The Honest Kitchen clusters contain cage-free chicken and are cooked at a low temperature. The grain-inclusive versions contain oats/barley and thus may be contaminated with glyphosate. The grain-free versions use potatoes and legumes and thus may not be appropriate for all dogs.

 

These “Tasty Whole Food Clusters” are a new dog food kibble from The Honest Company, which is best known for selling dehydrated foods that can be mixed with water to make a dog’s meal.

The clusters are stated as containing cage-free chicken, grains, vegetables and fruits, with the ingredients being “cold-pressed, slow-roasted and dehydrated” to improve the flavor.

All ingredients are stated as being “human-grade.”

While the binder ingredients are primarily non-organic oats and barley, a company representative wrote to me the following in response to my expressing concern that these grains could be contaminated with glyphosate:

All the oats in our diets are non-GMO and free of any chemicals and preservatives. The Whole Food Clusters don’t have organic oats, but all the oats in our dehydrated diets are organic. The Honest Kitchen thoroughly vets each and every supplier to ensure they are providing the highest quality ingredients to be utilized in our diets. Our oats supplier (conventional and organic oats) has drawn a hard line by implementing new policies in 2015 in regards to the use of glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant. Our supplier no longer accepts conventional oats/oat products if they are treated with glyphosate. As has always been the organic standard, organic production is limited to a very small group of synthetic chemicals allowed during plant growth/production and organic producers cannot spray glyphosate on their crops. If you are still concerned about glyphosate contamination you may want to consider the dehydrated diets since they are organic oats. 

Considering how much my dog likes Bil-Jac (another slow-roasted chicken dog food) and the stated quality of the ingredients, I was a little optimistic about this product.

I thus bought a small bag of The Honest Kitchen Small Breed Chicken & Oat Clusters for Cocoa to try as soon as it was released to the market.

Cocoa sniffed the product each time I put it out but refused to eat any of it.

Since Cocoa has been willing to eat The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Base Mix (which contains organic versions of all the binders used in these clusters), I am guessing that contamination of the non-organic grains (probably with glyphosate) is what is putting him off from the new kibble product.

It would be nice if The Honest Kitchen were to consider using organic grains in the clusters since they otherwise seem to be a good product.

Cocoa has not tried the grain-free products since they all contain potatoes, which he appears to detest.

Since I would not want any dog that I owned to be eating either potatoes or glyphosate-contaminated grains, I likely would not purchase the Honest Kitchen Clusters again unless changes were made in the recipes.

 

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Dog Food Advisor: 

The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Clusters: 5 Stars

 

The Honest Kitchen Food Clusters Whole Grain Chicken Small Breed

Cost (4 lb): $20

Cost Per Day: $1.00

24% protein, 16% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Oats, Barley, Chicken Liver, Carrots, Ground Flaxseed, Eggs, Broccoli, Pumpkin, Apples, Natural Chicken Flavor, Coconut Oil, Salmon Oil, Chia Seed, Kale, Minerals [Tricalcium Phosphate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite], Fenugreek Seed, Dried Kelp, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Vitamins [Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Choline Chloride)], Mixed Tocopherols (A Natural Preservative), Turmeric, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract.

Cocoa Rating: 1

 

The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Clusters Chicken

Cost (4 lb): $23

Cost Per Day: $1.44

27% protein, 16% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Potatoes, Lentils, Peas, Chicken Liver, Carrots, Ground Flaxseed, Eggs, Coconut Oil, Broccoli, Pumpkin, Apples, Natural Chicken Flavor, Salmon Oil, Chia Seed, Kale, Minerals [Tricalcium Phosphate, Sodium Chloride, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite], Fenugreek Seed, Dried Kelp, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Vitamins [Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Choline Chloride], Mixed Tocopherols (A Natural Preservative),Turmeric, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract.

 

TRUE ACRE

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Farmhouse Blend, Grain-Free

Cost Per Day: $0.20-$0.30

Type: Private Label

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Moderate/Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Corn/Wheat/Soy/Legumes

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes/Soy/Tapioca

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: Moderate

Mycotoxin Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

“Human Grade”: No Mention

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Chewy/PetSmart

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Summary: True Acre (owned by PetSmart/Chewy) sells kibble made with conventional meats and grains. Grain-inclusive versions include corn, wheat, soy and legumes. Grain-free versions have legumes, soy and tapioca. Glyphosate and mycotoxin risk seems high in these products and the fact that they are sold only in large bags makes trial more difficult.

 

True Acre is a line of budget dog foods and treats offered by Chewy.

While Chewy’s other house-brand line, American Journey, is entirely free of wheat/corn/soy, some of the True Acre products do include those ingredients.

There are grain-free as well as grain-inclusive True Acre kibble products.

All the meats and grains in this line appear to be conventionally farmed.

The grain-inclusive products include a combination of corn, wheat, soy and legumes as the binders.

The grain-free products use legumes, soy and tapioca.

The products are only sold in bags of 30 or more pounds and are priced at about $1/pound.

Cocoa has yet to try any True Acre kibbles.

I feel pretty sure he would not eat the grain-free ones, if only because tapioca is used in them.

I would like to try one of the grain-inclusive versions, except that the huge bag size makes the product difficult for me to handle.

Since Cocoa has really liked the True Acre Dental Treats (which contain rice and wheat) and the True Acre Farmhouse Grillers Lamb Recipe dog treats (which contain coconut glycerine and brown rice), I do have some positive feelings about this brand.

Still, I don’t have much hope that Cocoa would eat the kibbles, based on their ingredient lists and low price.

 

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True Acre: 3 Stars

 

True Acre Grain-Free Chicken

Cost (15 lb): $16.50

Cost Per Day: $0.28

24% protein, 13% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Peas, Pea Starch, Canola Meal, Poultry By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Poultry Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tapioca Starch, Natural Flavor, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Fish Oil, Flaxseed, Calcium Carbonate, Carrots, Cranberries, L-Threonine, Choline Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Oxide, DL-Methionine, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.

 

True Acre Farmhouse Blend Lamb

Cost (30 lb): $29

Cost Per Day: $0.24

26% protein, 13% fat, 12% moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Corn, Wheat, Chicken By-Product Meal (a source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Corn Gluten Meal, Soy Flour, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Pearled Barley, Peas, Dicalcium Phosphate, Carrots, Vegetable Glycerin, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Salmon Oil, Dried Cultured Whey, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate), Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Rosemary Extract.

 

VICTOR

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Classic, Select, Purpose. RealTree

Cost Per Day: $0.50-$0.70

Type: Sporting Dogs

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Moderate/Low

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Sorghum/Millet or Sorghum/Rice

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes/Sweet Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

“Human Grade”: No Mention

Chicken-Free Versions: No

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Mid America Pet Food

Location: U.S. (Texas)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5-5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star (grain-free)

Summary: Victor kibbles appear to contain conventional meats and binders. Grain-inclusive versions all contain sorghum and thus likely are contaminated with glyphosate. Grain-free versions contain sweet potatoes and legumes.

 

Victor is a family-owned Texas company making foods mostly for highly active sporting dogs.

The company website states:

The quality of our ingredients is extremely important to us. We source our ingredients from valued and trusted suppliers who are dedicated to providing the very highest-quality ingredients available on the market today. A majority of these ingredients come from ranches, farms and other trusted suppliers who are within a day’s drive of our East Texas plant.

The foods are stated as containing amino acid complex minerals, which are supposed to be especially bioavailable.

Most of the company’s products include blood meal, which is described by Victor as a “high protein, low ash, low fat ingredient that provides a strategic source of nutrients and amino acids.”

Both the meat and the binder ingredients in these products appear to be conventionally produced, though some are from smaller local farms.

Chicken is stated as coming from a company called Pilgrim’s Chickens, which at least has a fairly transparent website but is still producing chickens conventionally.

Another concern that I have with the grain-inclusive Victor products is the heavy use of sorghum, which tends to be contaminated with very high levels of glyphosate.

Even sorghum grown in Texas and Oklahoma seems to be affected by this problem, from what I have read.

Cocoa tried a grain-free product from this company, the Victor Purpose Ultra Pro formula. The main ingredients are listed as chicken meal, beef meal, chicken fat, peas, blood meal yeast culture, pork meal, alfalfa, sweet potato, menhaden fish meal and natural flavor.

Cocoa refused to eat even one piece of this food.

I don’t think that I would purchase any of this company’s products for another dog, due to their use of conventional ingredients and to Cocoa’s unwillingness to eat the version that he tried.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Victor Purpose: 5 Stars

Victor Select: 5 Stars

Victor Classic: 4.5 Stars

 

Victor Classic Professional Formula

Cost (5 lb): $11

Cost Per Day: $0.55

26% protein, 18% fat, 9% moisture

Ingredients: Beef Meal, Grain Sorghum, Whole Grain Millet, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Blood Meal Conventionally Dried, Chicken Meal, Pork Meal, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Yeast Culture, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Carrot Powder, Tomato Pomace, Salt, Organic Dried Seaweed Meal, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Calcium Stearate, Zinc Methionine Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, DL-Methionine, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Silicon Dioxide, L-Carnitine, Selenium Yeast, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Copper Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Calcium Carbonate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Vegetable Oil, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract, Inulin, Lecithin, Folic Acid.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0

 

WELLNESS

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Sub-Brands: Complete Health, Core, Core Digestive Health, Core Raw Rev

Cost Per Day: $0.80-$1.10

Type: Pet Store

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: High

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Oats/Barley/Legumes/Rice or Oats/Barley/Quinoa

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes/Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: No Mention

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes (with chicken fat)

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: Yes

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Clearlake Capital Group

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor’s Rating: 5 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive and grain-free)

Summary: Wellness kibble apparently contains conventional meats and binders. Grain-inclusive versions all contain oats, which have a high risk of glyphosate contamination. Grain-free versions contain legumes and potatoes.

 

Wellness was started in the 1990s as a division of the family-owned Old Mother Hubbard Biscuit Company, which was founded in 1926.

The goal was to create a natural pet food that would revolutionize the pet food business.

In 2008, the Old Mother Hubbard Biscuit Company (including the Wellness brand) was sold to Berwind Corporation (a diversified company with roots in the coal industry) for $400 million.

All of Berwind’s pet-food holdings (including Wellness) were sold to Clearlake Capital Group (which invests in a variety of industries including industrials, energy, software and consumer goods) in late 2020.

Wellness makes several different lines of dry dog food.

Wellness Complete Health is a general-purpose food containing a variety of starches (such as oats, barley, sweet potatoes and legumes) in addition to the meat content.

There also is a grain-free version of the Wellness Complete Health line, with a combination of legumes and potatoes as the binders.

Wellness Core foods are either grain-free (containing legumes and potatoes as the binders) or grain-inclusive (with oatmeal and barley), and supposedly contain a larger amount of meat.

Wellness Core RawRev adds pieces of freeze-dried meat to the regular Wellness Core food.

Wellness Core Digestive Health contains digestive enzymes and is coated with probiotics. The binders include rice, barley and oats.

There also are some limited ingredient diet foods containing either legumes or a combination of grains and legumes.

I was unable to find any information on the Wellness website about how the animals used in these products are raised or how the non-animal products are grown.

It thus seems that the ingredients are all purely conventional.

All of the Wellness grain-inclusive versions include non-organic North American oats as a primary ingredient and thus likely are contaminated with substantial amounts of glyphosate.

The Wellness grain-free versions contain various legumes, which also may be contaminated with glyphosate.

Almost all of the Wellness grain-free varieties also contain potatoes, which Cocoa will not eat.

Cocoa tried two Wellness products, one grain-inclusive and the other grain-free.

The grain-inclusive product was Wellness Core RawRev Wholesome Grains Original food, which contains pieces of freeze-dried raw turkey. The main ingredients are turkey, chicken meal, turkey meal, oatmeal, barley, chicken fat, tomato pomace, turkey liver, ground flaxseed, quinoa, natural turkey flavor, chicory root extract and salmon oil.

The other product was the limited-ingredient Wellness Core Six Grain-Free Free-Range Lamb and Chickpeas formula. The main ingredients in this food are lamb, lamb meal, peas, chickpeas, pea protein, canola oil, tomato pomace, ground flaxseed and natural lamb flavor.

Cocoa was not willing to eat either version of the food (and didn’t even pick out the raw meat pieces from the RawRev version).

I do not think that I would buy any food from this brand again for a different dog, due to the use of conventional ingredients as well as Cocoa’s reactions.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Wellness Complete Health: 5 Stars

Wellness Complete Health Grain-Free: 5 Stars

Wellness Core: 5 Stars

 

Recalls

Salmonella (2012)

Moisture (2012)

 

Wellness Core Raw Rev Turkey Grain-Free

Cost (4 lb): $19

Cost Per Day: $1.19

36% protein, 16% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal (source of Glucosamine), Chicken Meal (source of Chondroitin Sulfate), Peas, Dried Ground Potatoes, Lentils, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato Pomace, Ground Flaxseed, Turkey Liver, Turkey Hearts, Natural Chicken Flavor, Salmon Oil, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Chicory Root Extract, Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries, Kale, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Niacin, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract.

 

Wellness Core Wholesome Grains High Protein

Cost (4 lb): $17

Cost Per Day: $1.06

34% protein, 16% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Chicken Meal (source of Chondroitin Sulfate), Turkey Meal (source of Glucosamine), Oatmeal, Barley, Chicken Fat, Tomato Pomace, Ground Flaxseed, Quinoa, Natural Turkey Flavor, Chicory Root Extract, Salmon Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries, Kale, Zinc Proteinate, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Niacin, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract.

 

WHOLE EARTH FARMS

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star (grain-inclusive or grain-free)

Cost Per Day: $0.60-$0.70

Type: Pet Store

Meat Quality: Conventional

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Rice/Oats/Barley/Potatoes/Legumes

Grain-Free Starches: Potatoes/Legumes/Sweet Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

“Human Grade”: No Mention

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: Variety

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Nestlé Purina

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: Not tried

Summary: Whole Earth Farms (a lower-priced product created by Merrick and now owned by Nestlé Purina) sells kibble containing conventional meats and binders. The grain-inclusive versions include a combination of rice, oats, barley, potatoes and legumes. The grain-free versions contain potatoes, legumes and sweet potatoes.

 

Whole Earth Farms is a line of moderately priced products marketed by Merrick Pet Care, which is now owned by Nestlé Purina.

The company states:

Each recipe is made with all the goodness from the earth at a great value. We put in only the good and leave out the rest: no corn, no wheat, no soy, no by-products, no artificial colors, and no artificial preservatives. 

The grain-inclusive products include an array of binders, including brown rice, oats, barley, potatoes and legumes.

The grain-free versions use sweet potatoes, potatoes and legumes.

I have not found any information on this brand’s website stating how the animal products are raised or the non-animal products are grown and so am assuming that everything is conventional.

The oats in the products likely are contaminated with substantial amounts of glyphosate and the legumes may be gyphosate-contaminated as well.

Cocoa has yet to try these products because they all contain potatoes, which he virtually always refuses to eat.

I would not buy this food for another dog because of the apparent conventional ingredients and because of the use of potatoes.

 

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Dog Food Advisor

Whole Earth Farms: 5 Stars

Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free: 5 Stars

 

Whole Earth Farms Puppy

Cost (4 lb): $10

Cost Per Day: $0.63

27% protein, 15% fat

Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Barley, Potatoes, Peas, Pea Protein, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Chicken, Salmon, Apples, Salmon Oil, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Organic Dried Alfalfa Meal, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Proteinate, Cobalt Carbonate), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5

 

Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Small Breed

Cost (4 lb): $11

Cost Per Day: $0.69

27% protein, 14% fat, 11% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Potatoes, Peas, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Sweet Potatoes, Chicken, Turkey, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Sunflower Oil, Apples, Salt, Salmon Oil, Organic Dried Alfalfa Meal, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Proteinate, Cobalt Carbonate), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5

 

ZIGNATURE

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars (grain-free), 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Sub-Brands: Select Cuts, Grain-Free Solutions

Cost Per Day: $0.75-$1.00

Type: Allergy

Meat Quality: Antibiotic-free, cruelty-free. 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.

Meat Quantity: Moderate

Grain-Inclusive Starches: Oats/Millet

Grain-Free Starches: Legumes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Risk: High (grain-inclusive), Moderate (grain-free)

Mycotoxin Risk: Moderate

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

Chicken-Free Versions: Yes

Probiotics: No

Preservatives: Mixed Tocopherols

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Resealable Bags: No

Recalls: None

Ownership: Independent (Pets-Global)

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1-3 Stars (grain-free), 1 Star (grain-inclusive)

Summary: Zignature kibbles seem to be designed in large part for dogs with food sensitivities. They include higher-quality proteins such as cage-free or pastured meats. The grain-inclusive versions contain oats/millet and thus may be highly contaminated with glyphosate. The grain-free versions contain legumes. Since the meat percentage is not very high, it may be wise to supplement with substantial amounts of additional meat, especially if feeding the grain-free versions.

 

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.

The Grain-Free foods contain chickpeas and peas as the binders.

The Select Cuts foods contain millet from the northern Midwestern U.S. and from Canada; oats from Alberta, Canada; and sunflower meal from North America.

All of these binder ingredients (especially when sourced from Canada) have the potential of having been contaminated with glyphosate through the use of the chemical as a pre-harvest desiccant.

The oats and millet are of particular concern with regard to glyphosate contamination.

Zignature told me that their binder ingredients are non-GMO but did not respond to my queries with regard to the glyphosate.

The company states that the percentage of protein derived from animal sources ranges from 57% to 70% depending on the formula.

Zignature was the brand of food that was the second most frequently cited by the 2018 FDA report as being associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a potentially fatal heart disease experienced by some dogs.

Of the 515 cases reported in dogs, 64 had been eating Zignature grain-free foods.

As with other dog foods containing substantial amounts of legumes (such as Acana and Taste of the Wild), I would not want to feed my dog the grain-free versions of this food unless I was supplementing with substantial amounts of meat (cooked, raw or dehydrated).

Zignature is one of the few dog food companies supplying samples through stores and so we have tried several different products.

Cocoa has been willing to eat the Zignature Grain-Free Duck, the Zignature Grain-Free Lamb and the Zignature Grain-Free Venison formulas.

He has been unwilling to eat the Zignature Grain-Free Goat, which is made with wild-caught goat.

This makes some sense to me since it is hard to know what goats living in the wild may have eaten in their diets.

(I have had some particularly bad experiences with wild-caught meat products intended for humans myself.)

Cocoa has refused to eat even one piece of the Zignature Select Cuts Lamb formula.

Since pastured New Zealand lamb is Cocoa’s favorite meat and since he was willing to eat the Zignature grain-free lamb version, it seems to me clear that the oats and sorghum in the grain-inclusive version must be substantially contaminated with glyphosate or something else problematic.

I therefore would not buy any of the current Select Cuts formulas since my assumption is that all of these are contaminated in the same way.

I might buy grain-free Zignature products (especially for a dog with food sensitivities), but I would want to be sure that I was supplementing with substantial amounts of meat if I did that.

 

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Cocoa Approved

Zignature Grain-Free Lamb: 4 Stars

 

Dog Food Advisor

Zignature: 4 Stars

 

Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredient Grain-Free

Cost (4 lb): $12

Cost Per Day: $0.75

32% protein, 15% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chickpeas, Peas, Sunflower Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Mixed Tocopherols Preserved, Choline Chloride, L-Carnitine.

 

Zignature Select Cuts Lamb

Cost (4 lb): $14

Cost Per Day: $0.88

25% protein, 17% fat, 10% moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Meal, Oats, Millet, Sunflower Meal, Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Suncured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Quinoa, Potassium Chloride, Chorine Chloride, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Calcium Carbonate, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Marine Microalgae, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative).

 

About the Author

Lisa Petrison is the founder of Paradigm Change and Mold Avoiders.

Her Ph.D. is in marketing and social psychology from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Her cockapoo Cocoa (born in April 2019) is her first dog as an adult.

This article is part of a forthcoming series on choosing healthful and non-toxic dog foods.

Please sign up to receive Living Clean in a Dirty World email notifications of future articles in the series as well as other information on pursuing a toxicity-free life.

 

This article series contains affiliate links for several online retailers (including Chewy, Only Natural, Vitacost, Amazon and Walmart). Clicking on these links may result in a small percentage of subsequent sales being directed to Paradigm Change and used to subsidize the costs of running the Paradigm Change and Mold Avoiders websites.

 

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