Nutro Natural Choice Chicken Rice Oatmeal Dog Food Review

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Ashley

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Nutro Products promote their Natural Choice line of dog food as being natural, “guaranteed to improve skin and coat” and with no by-products. This formula is promoted to be “wholesome for sensitive stomachs”. Premium Nutrition, Superior Performance is the sales quote on the bag.

Break Down of the Label

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein, not less than               21 %
Crude Fat, not less than                      12 %
Crude Fiber, not more than                    5 %
Moisture, not more than                      10 %
Linoleic Acid                                          3.5%
Zinc, not less than                         250 mg/kg
Vitamin E, not less than                  150 IU/kg
Ascorbic Acid, not less than           35 mg/kg
Alpha-Linoleic Acid, not less than           .2 %
Glucosamine, not less than           400 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate, not less than 300 mg/kg

This analysis tells me that there is enough protein to maintain an adult dog, especially an indoor, less active dog. This is not appropriate for a puppy or really any dog under a year, as growing dogs need more protein. The proteins in this product seem to be high quality chicken and chicken meal. No other source of protein other than plant protein.

The fat level is middle of the road, so if fed properly by label instructions, your dog should not get overweight on this food.

The fiber and moisture are right on the industry standards.

The guarantee of the Linoleic Acid and Vitamin E, Zinc, Glucosamine and Condroitin are nice to know. It gives you more information than just being in an ingredient list.

Meat Protein

Chicken Meal and Chicken

These are good sources of protein and I like the fact that they are specific sources and not just poultry meal and poultry. Chicken is generally very low for allergic reactions and very lean.

Positives: No great standout reason. Chicken is a good source with less reaction than some sources. They also added some additional amino acids to improve the amino acid profile from being a single meat source.

Negatives: Since this product is promoted for sensitive stomachs, I can somewhat understand limiting the sources. However, the benefits to multiple sources of meat protein is that it allows for a better balanced amino acid profile in the food.

Grains

Oatmeal, Ground Rice (white), Rice Flour, Rice Bran, Whole Brown Rice

Positives: There is no wheat, which reduces the chance of gluten allergy reactions. There is no soy, which reduces the odor of the stool and gas. The Whole ground Rice and Whole Brown Rice and Oatmeal are good fiber sources. Oatmeal is generally soothing to the digestive system. The Rice Bran offers some additional fat and fiber also.

Negatives: I don’t particularly like the rice flour. Flour is processed and looses some of its nutritional value. A source of carbohydrates with no fiber. I think this product is heavy on grain. With four sources of Rice as the second through the fifth ingredient, it to be very Rice based. I realize that they promote it as Rice, Chicken and Oatmeal, so they have not mislead the consumer exactly. Its just heavy on rice and Oatmeal is way down the list.

Although overall the tag looks decent, I still think it’s a little heavy on grain and I don’t like the flour portion. Processed flour is not exactly good for any animal including humans.

Fruits and Vegetables

No whole fruits or veggies. It does have Pea Protein, which is just the protein portion, not the whole pea. It also contains Beet Pulp, which is a Vegetable by-product.

Positives: The Pea Protein gives the food a quality, hypoallergenic additional protein source. Beet Pulp is a good, highly digestible fiber and energy source.

Negatives: Would have like to have seen some fruits and veggies for the natural sources of antioxidants, vitamin, minerals and fiber. Not a huge deal, but would have been nice.

Fats

Chicken Fat, Soybean Oil and Sunflower Oil

These are all preserved with Mixed Tocopherols which is a natural preservative and source of natural Vitamin E. Sunflower oil and chicken fat provide high levels of Linoleic Acid, an essential omega-3 fatty acid, which will help with coat and skin condition.

Vitamins

Vitamin A Supplement, Choline Chloride (B Complex), Thiamine Mononitrate (B1), Riboflavin Supplement (B2), Niacin Supplement (B3), Calcium Pantothenate (B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B6), Biotin (B7), Folic Acid (B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, L-Ascorbyl 2 Polyphosphate (vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Vitamin e), Vitamin E Supplement and Menadione (synthetic Vitamin K).

Positives: This food is well fortified with all the important vitamins and antioxidants.

Negatives: The sources of some of the Vitamins are of synthetic or lesser quality, which might make one question the true digestibility of the vitamins. The use of Menadione as a source of Vitamin K. It is synthetic Vitamin K3, which is not nearly as useable by the body. Menadione has been very questionable for the last few years and may actually be toxic.

Minerals

Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Bicarbonate (Soda, Soothes stomach), Salt and Zinc Sulfate.

This food is not all that well fortified for minerals. There is only one chelated mineral, which is Copper Proteinate. Most of the minerals are from inorganic sources.

Amino Acids

Lysine, Linoleic Acid and Taurine.

I like that this product adds some additional Amino Acids to the ingredients. These are available in the food product ingredients also, but the supplementation assures and adequate supply. There could have been more.

Digestive Aids

None Added

Extras

Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine Hydrochloride

These are naturally occurring substances that have positive effects on osteoarthritis and other joint ailments.

Although there cannot be enough of these supplements added to a dog food to have a curative effect, it is a positive addition to the food as a preventative. If your dog already has problems, the amount of Glucosamine or Chondroitin in dog food is not going to solve or even greatly alleviate the problem. Those dogs will need to be on further supplementation.

Egg – a good additional source of Protein, amino acids and vitamins.

Sea Kelp – A good source of Vitamins and Antioxidants.

Product In Summary

Glucosamine and Chondroitin added for prevention of joint disease.

Added Amino Acids allows for less likelihood of deficiencies.

This product has no BHT or BHA (artificial and potentially harmful preservatives).

They use only natural preservatives in the food itself, such as mixed tocopherols, which is also a natural source of vitamin E.

The company makes no statement regarding use of human grade food only or the use of ethoxyquin. Non Food Grade meats often are preserved with Ethoxyquin, which is potentially dangerous and banned from human grade food in many countries.

I don’t like this food particularly, if for nothing else than the use of Menadione and being very heavy on rice. It is pretty well fortified on vitamins and has the joint supplements, but seems to be lacking in the mineral and digestive aids.

Of course, if you are looking for a grain free product this will not work, but Nutro Pet Foods does have grain free products. Look for those reviews to come.

Cautions

There is a tremendous amount of negative press on the Nutro brand in general on blogs and websites. The stories of digestive problems and death go back to 2007 and continue right up to December of 2010. The stories are very similar over all the locations and for several different lines of Nutro foods. There was no official recall on their dry products, but the evidence is big that there is, or has been, some problems. I know that they have reformulated some foods and fired a large number of sales staff, so I feel that there is a significant enough problem within this company to make me unable to recommend their products.

Rating

I give this product an AVERAGE rating for the ingredient list, since it is not terribly deficient.

I give this product and BELOW AVERAGE rating for value. The average cost is about $42.00 per 35 pound bag. Cost per day will be around $.60 to $.75 for a 60 pound dog. It is not an inexpensive bag of dog food for what you are getting and if the complaints are true and you end up with a sick dog and vet bills, the value is really low.

I give this product a POOR rating for the fact that there is something going on within the company and they have done nothing to acknowledge the concerns of their customers regarding the blogs and website complaints.

Overall, I cannot recommend this product to my readers.

Nutro Natural Choice Chicken Rice Oatmeal Dog Food is manufactured by Nutro Products, Inc – a division of MARS Incorporated. Manufacturing facilities in Lebanon, TN and Victorville, CA

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Hunter’s Special Maintenance Formula Dog Food Review

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Ashley

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The manufacturer promotes this product as a 100% balanced formula to keep your dog in top shape with high quality ingredients in all products. They state that this formula gives dogs the nutrition they need without excess calories and fat. This product is not natural, holistic or meat based.

Break Down of the Label

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein:    not less than 21 %
Crude Fat: not less than 12 %
Crude Fiber:    not more than 3.5 %
Moisture:    not more than 12 %

The fat level is middle of the road, so if fed properly by label instructions, your dog should not get overweight on this food.

The fiber is right on the industry standards. The moisture is higher than average.

Meat Protein

Meat and Bone Meal

This is not a desirable protein source. There nothing wrong with using this ingredient, since your dog would eat it if he were wild. The problem lies in the fact that it is the one and only source of animal protein in the product.

Positives: Can’t really find one

Negatives: Meat and Bone Meal as the one source of meat protein is not a good thing. It leaves a lot of amino acids out and is a lower quality by product protein source.

Grains

Ground Yellow Corn, Ground Grain Sorghum, Corn Distiller’s Grain, Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal

Positives: There is whole wheat and whole corn in the food. This allows for some natural fiber from the grain husk.

Negatives: There are three different forms of corn in this food. This basically makes it a corn based product, because all of them added together most likely weighs more than the Meat and Bone Meal portion.

Corn is a commonly allergenic food to dogs. It is a decent source of energy, but definitely not the most desirable.

This product contains wheat, which dogs are very commonly allergic

Grain Sorghum is a group of particular types of grasses raised for the seed or fodder. In the United States, sorghum is used primarily as a feed grain for livestock. Feed value of grain sorghum is similar to corn. The grain has more protein and fat than corn, but is lower in vitamin A. The grain is highly palatable to livestock. Since your dog is not livestock, why would you feed them like it is.

Fruits and Vegetables

NONE

Negatives: Not having fruits and vegetables is not necessarily a horrible thing, but the dog misses out on the natural whole food vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in these ingredients.

Fats

Chicken Fat

This is a common and good source of fat supplementation. Unfortunately, the chicken fat is preserved with BHA, which is potentially harmful to your dog. Althought BHA has antiviral and antimicrobial activities that can be beneficial, the oxidative characteristics and metabolites of BHA are suspected in contributing to tumor growth and possibly cancer.

Vitamins

Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Calcium Pantothenate(B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B6), Biotin (B7), Folic Acid (B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement.

This food is missing some important vitamins and antioxidants. There is no Vitamin D or Vitamin E. However, it does have good supplementation of the other major vitamins

Minerals

Calcium Iodate, Calcium Carbonate, Cobalt Carbonate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Zinc Sulfate.

This food has average fortification with minerals. There are no chelated sources of the minerals. There is no added Magnesium or Iron. The sources of the minerals are of the cheaper, low quality variety and will be less absorbable by the body.

Amino Acids

No guaranteed additional Amino Acids added to this product.

Digestive Aids

There are no digestive aids added to this product per the label.

Extras

Beet Pulp, the husk portion of the wheat and corn ground in the formula and the grain sorghum provide fiber.

Beet pulp is a very highly digestible source of both fiber and energy for the dog’s body.

Product In Summary

I cannot find any great benefits for this product. It has decent, but not great, vitamin supplementation, but poor mineral supplementation with no chelated minerals.

The fiber sources are low quality except for the Beet Pulp, but the fiber guarantee is a little low.

The ingredient mix is just poor, poor, poor. How would you like to go through life eating mainly corn, corn by-products and sorghum and that is all you got with animal digest to flavor it. The Meat and Bone Meal portion becomes almost negligible in this mix.

I would NOT feed this to any of my dogs and cannot recommend it for yours either. They are not cows, so I would not feed them like one. Take the Meat and Bone Meal out of this and you have cow feed.

Cautions

They also use a least cost formulation process and the ingredients change often. This can upset your dogs system. I have looked at ingredient lists on the brochures that the company produces for the Hunter’s Special Line, which was below average, and then went to a store and looked at the labels on the bags, which was even lower quality, and they do not match. This is NOT a good thing!

Rating

I give this product a Poor rating for the quality of the ingredient list.

I give this product a Poor rating for value. Even though it is right around $20.00 for a 50lb bag, there is still no value in feeding a junk food. With a feeding rate of 3.75 cups per day for a 60 pound dog, it will cost $.40 to $.45 per day to feed junk. Spend $.20 more a day and feed your dog something good.

I give this product a POOR rating for the manufacturer. My personal experience with Sunshine Mills is that their products lack consistency. A bag you buy this week will not look the same as the bag you bought two weeks ago of the same product.

Hunter’s Special Maintenance Formula Dog Food is manufactured by Sunshine Mills, Red Bay, AL.

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Wellness Super5Mix Complete Health Whitefish and Sweet Potato Dog Food Review

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Ashley

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All Wellness Super5Mix Complete Health products are Holistic, meaning only whole foods used as ingredients, no by products of any kind and only natural preservatives, colors and flavors.

Wellness has formulated this product as a limited ingredient formula that still provides whole body nutrition for healthy skin and digestive function.

This formula is designed for maintenance of normally active adult dogs. It contains quality proteins to keep a lean muscle mass. It contains natural fiber and other digestive aids for easy digestion and intestinal health.

Break Down of the Label

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein:    not less than 22 %
Crude Fat:    not less than 12 %
Crude Fiber:    not more than 3 %
Moisture:    not more than 11 %
Calcium: not less than 1.2%
Phosphorus:    not less than .9%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids: not less than 2.7%
Omega 6 Fatty Acids: not less than 1.1%
Vitamin E: not less than 150 IU/kg
Lycopene:                                              .37mg/kg
Taurine:                                                         .09 %
Beta-Carotene:                 not less than 5 mg/kg

This analysis tells me that there is enough protein to maintain an adult dog, especially an indoor, less active dog. This is not appropriate for a puppy or really any dog under a year, as growing dogs need more protein. The proteins in this product are high quality and from several sources, which is preferable.

The fat level is middle of the road, so if fed properly by label instructions, your dog should not get overweight on this food.

The fiber and moisture are right on the industry standards. The plus to the fiber in this product is where it comes from.

The guarantee of the Omega Fatty Acids and Vitamin E, Beta-Carotene and amino acids are nice to know. It gives you more information than just being in an ingredient list.

Meat Protein

Whitefish and Menhaden Fish Meal

These are good sources of protein and I like the fact that they are specific sources and not just fish and fish meal. Fish is generally very low for allergic reactions and very lean.

Positives: There are two sources of meat protein, which is good

Negatives: If it weren’t for the fact that this is a limited ingredient formula, three sources of meat protein would have been better. The benefits to multiple sources of meat protein is that it allows for a better balanced amino acid profile in the food. There are two types of fish with different profiles, plus added amino acids, so this should never be a problem.

Grains

Ground Barley, Rye Flour, Ground Pearled Barley, Ground Flaxseed

Positives: There is no wheat, which reduces the chance of gluten allergy reactions.

There is no soy, which reduces the odor of the stool and gas.

There is Flaxseed, which is a good source of Omega 3, vitamins and minerals.

The Barley and Flaxseed are whole ground grains, which has better nutritional value. It supplies fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Negatives: The Rye source is flour and not whole grain. Flour is processed and loses some of its nutritional value. It is a source of carbohydrates with no fiber.

Although overall I really like this food, I still think it’s a little heavy on grain and I don’t like the flour portion. Processed flour is not good for any animal including humans.

Fruits and Vegetables

Sweet Potatoes and Tomato

Positives: Sweet Potatoes are a power packed vegetable! Rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and beta carotene, this is an ideal complex carbohydrate source that provides all day energy.

Negatives: Would like to have seen more veggies, but with a limited ingredient product such as this, you will not see a wide range of products in the formula. This formula is excellent for dogs with digestive upset problems and allergies.

I wish they didn’t use flour, but at least it is rye and not wheat.

Fats

Canola Oil

Canola oil is naturally preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E. Provides a blend of omega fatty acids for optimal skin and coat health. Contains alpha-linolenic acid, an essential omega-3 fatty acid.

Vitamins

Vitamin A Supplement, Beta Carotene, Choline Chloride (B Complex), Thiamine Mononitrate (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pantothenic Acid (B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B6), Biotin (B7), Folic Acid (B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Vitamin e).

This food is very well fortified with all the important vitamins and antioxidants, both through the supplements and the tomato and sweet potato.

Minerals

Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Zinc Sulfate and Zinc Proteinate.

This food is very well fortified for minerals. There are both chelated and inorganic sources of most of the minerals needed for supplementation. There is also some supply of minerals within the fruits, vegetables and meats.

Amino Acids

Taurine.

I like that this product adds additional Amino Acids to the ingredients. These are available in the food product ingredients also, but the supplementation assures and adequate supply.

Digestive Aids

None Noted

Extras

None

Product In Summary

A few fruits and vegetables are added for a natural source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Chelated minerals
Added Amino Acids allows for less likelihood of deficiencies.
Use high quality human grade food

This product has no BHT or BHA (artificial and potentially harmful preservatives) and no menadione (potentially harmful and unnecessary source of Vitamin K) on the label and these additives do have labeling requirements. They use only natural preservatives, such as mixed tocopherols, which is a natural source of vitamin E.

I can find no negatives with this product, except I don’t like flour as an ingredient. I can find no negatives with the company. They seem to go above and beyond to bring you a high quality food for your dog. They have a full money back guarantee.

Their mission statement is to provide you with wholesome, natural pet food that is the best it can be. Nothing is overlooked in their quest for excellence. Programs, guidelines and specifications have been carefully put in place to protect the nutritional integrity of their foods. They require all suppliers to meet stringent requirements and adhere to the highest standards. Exceeding even the strictest requirements from the FDA, they are determined to go further, to do better and to take as many precautions with their pet food, as is taken with food for humans. “Because at Wellness, we are passionate about providing your pet with safe, uncompromising nutrition.”

Ratings

I give this product a WELL ABOVE AVERAGE rating for the quality of the ingredient list, since the only flaw is with the flour.

I give this product and AVERAGE rating for value. At $53.00 to $55.00 for a 30lb bag, it is in the higher priced category. However, there are foods of the same quality that are much higher priced. With a feeding rate of 2 to 2.5 cups per day for a 60 pound dog, the cost per day is between $1.15 and $1.25.

I give this product a WELL ABOVE AVERAGE for quality. Wellness Pet has a good reputation in the industry. They really stand behind their products.

Overall, I have to say I like the Super5Mix Whitefish and Sweet Potato. I wouldn’t hesitate to feed it to my dogs, and in fact do feed it to one dog I have that has a very, very sensitive stomach. It appears to be well fortified and balanced and she has done fantastic on it.

Wellness Super5Mix Complete Health Whitefish and Sweet Potato Dog Food is manufactured by WellPet LLC – Tewksbury, MA.

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Earthborn Holistic Adult Vantage Formula Dog Food Review

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Ashley

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All Earthborn products are Holistic, meaning only whole foods used as ingredients, no by-products of any kind and only natural preservatives, colors and flavors.

Adult Vantage formula is designed for maintenance of normally active adult dogs. It contains quality proteins to keep a lean muscle mass. It contains natural fiber and other digestive aids for easy digestion and intestinal health.

Break Down of the Label

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: not less than 22 %
Crude Fat: not less than 12 %
Crude Fiber:    not more than 4 %
Moisture:    not more than 10 %
Calcium: not less than 1.2%
Phosphorus:    not less than .8%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids:    not less than 2.6%
Omega 6 Fatty Acids:    not less than .8%
Vitamin E: not less than 200 IU/kg
L-Carnitine: not less than 15 mg/kg
Beta-Carotene: not less than 5 mg/kg

This analysis tells me that there is enough protein to maintain an adult dog, especially an indoor, less active dog. This is not appropriate for a puppy or really any dog under a year, as growing dogs need more protein. The proteins in this product are high quality and from several sources, which is preferable.

The fat level is middle of the road, so if fed properly by label instructions, your dog should not get overweight on this food.

The fiber and moisture are right on the industry standards. The plus to the fiber in this product is where it comes from.

The guarantee of the Omega Fatty Acids and Vitamin E, Beta-Carotene and Carnitine are nice to know. It gives you more information than just being in an ingredient list.

Meat Protein

Chicken Meal and Whitefish Meal

These are good sources of protein and I like the fact that they are specific sources and not just poultry meal and fish meal. Chicken and fish are generally very low for allergic reactions and very lean.

Positive: There are two sources of meat protein, which is good

Negative: Three sources of meat protein would have been better. The benefits to multiple sources of meat protein is that it allows for a better balanced amino acid profile in the food. Amino Acids are the building blocks of tissue, so this is very important. Every animal must have a certain amount of each amino acid for the body to function properly. Each meat has a different make up of amino acids, so to meet the true needs, multiple sources of meat is a great benefit. If there is a shortage of one particular amino acid, the body may not be able to utilize all of the others. They are not interchangeable.

Grains

Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice, Rye Flour, Ground Flaxseed

Positives: There is no wheat, which reduces the chance of gluten allergy reactions. There is no soy, which reduces the odor of the stool and gas. There is Flaxseed, which is a good source of Omega 3, vitamins and minerals. The Rice, Barley and Flaxseed are whole ground grains, which has betternutritional value. It supplies fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Negatives: The Rye source is flour and not whole grain. Flour is processed and looses some of its nutritional value. It is a source of carbohydrates with no fiber.

Although overall I really like this food, I still think it’s a little heavy on grain and I don’t like the flour portion. Processed flour is not good for any animal including humans.

Fruits and Vegetables

Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Tomato, Apples, Blueberries, Carrots, Peas and Spinach

Positives: This mix of fruits and vegetables supply a great source of natural carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Potatoes offer an additional source of protein as well as dietary fiber and a highly digestible carbohydrate.

Sweet Potatoes are a power packed vegetable! Rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and beta carotene, this is an ideal complex carbohydrate source that provides all day energy.

Blueberries give a natural boost to the immune system.

Negatives: None unless your dog has a specific allergy.

Fats

Chicken Fat and Canola Oil

These are both great sources of fat supplementation. The chicken is preserved with Mixed Tocopherols which is a natural preservative and source of natural Vitamin E.

Vitamins

Vitamin A Supplement Beta Carotene
Thiamine hydrochloride (B1) Riboflavin (B2)
Niacin (B3) Pantothenic Acid (B5)
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B6) Biotin (B7)
Folic Acid (B9) Vitamin B12 Supplement
Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C) Vitamin D3 Supplement
Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E)

This food is very well fortified with all the important vitamins and antioxidants, both through the supplements and the fruits and vegetables.

Minerals

Calcium Carbonate Calcium Iodate
Copper Proteinate Copper Sulfate
Ferrous Sulfate Iron Proteinate
Magnesium Proteinate Manganous Oxide
Manganese Proteinate Zinc Oxide
Zinc Proteinate

This food is very well fortified for minerals. There are both chelated and inorganic sources of most of the minerals needed for supplementation. There is also a fantastic supply of minerals within the fruits, vegetables and meats.

Amino Acids

Carnitine, Lysine, Methionine and Taurine.

I like that Earthborn Holistic adds additional Amino Acids to the ingredients. These are available in the food product ingredients also, but the supplementation assures and adequate supply.

Digestive Aids

Enterococus Faecium, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Casei and Lactobacillus Plantarum.

These are natural probiotics (good bacteria needed in the intestine). Adding them is an extra boost to the dog’s digestive system. I am a firm believer in probiotics and digestive enzyme supplementation, because our food supply, due to genetic changes and processing, has lost much of these from the natural state.

Yucca is a natural plant extract that has been proven to reduce stool odor.

Extras

Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine Hydrochloride

These are naturally occurring substances that have positive effects on osteoarthritis and other joint ailments.

Product Benefits In Summary

Natural digestive aids and probiotics are added for support of the digestive system.
Fruits and vegetables are added for a natural source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Chelated minerals
Glucosamine and Chondroitin added for prevention of joint disease.
Added Amino Acids allows for less likelihood of deficiencies.

This product has no BHT or BHA (artificial and potentially harmful preservatives) and no menadione (potentially harmful and unnecessary source of Vitamin K) on the label and these additives do have labeling requirements. The company makes no statement regarding use of human grade food only or the use of ethoxyquin. I am still trying to verify this, because I believe it is the case, I just can’t find it in writing anywhere. They use only natural preservatives, such as mixed tocopherols, which is a natural source of vitamin E.

The only two things I don’t like are the fact that they use flour as an ingredient and the fact that I can’t determine use of ethoxyquin (a potentially harmful food preservative). I will post when I get that answer.

Of course, if you are looking for a grain free product this will not work, but Earthborn Holistic does have three grain free products. Look for those reviews to come.

There are two meats and five grains. Would have rather seen three meats and two grains besides the flax seed meal.

Ratings

I give Earthborn Holistic Adult Vantage a WELL ABOVE AVERAGE rating for the quality of the ingredient list, since the only flaw is with the flour.

I give this product and AVERAGE rating for value. At $40.00 to $45.00 for a 28lb bag, it is not terribly high priced. There are many foods of the same quality that are much higher priced. With a feeding rate of 2 to 2.5 cups per day for a 60 pound dog, the cost per day is between $.76 and $.95.

I give this product a WELL ABOVE AVERAGE for quality. Midwestern Pet is a privately held company that has a good reputation in the industry. Unfortunately, many publicly held companies are pressured to sacrifice quality for profit.

Overall, I have to say I like the Adult Vantage Dog Food from Earthborn Holistic. I wouldn’t hesitate to feed it to my dogs. It appears to be well fortified and balanced.

Earthborn Holistic Adult Vantage Formula Dog Food is manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods, Evansville, IN.

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Taste of the Wild Dog Food High Prairie Formula

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Ashley

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In general, Taste of the Wild appears to be a very nice product, especially if you want to go grain free. All of the Taste of the Wild formulas are fully grain free and use sweet potatoes as the primary source of fiber and carbohydrates.

Breakdown of the Label

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein:             32% minimum
Crude Fat:                    18% minimum
Crude Fiber:                  3% maximum
Moisture:                     10% maximum
Zinc:                  150 mg/kg minimum
Selenium:            0.4 mg/kg minimum
Vitamin E:            150 IU/kg minimum
Omega-6 Fatty Acid:    2.8 % minimum
Omega-3 Fatty Acid:    0.3% minimum

Calorie Content: 370 kcal/cup

The analysis on this product shows balanced Omega Fatty Acids, though it is not required to be on the label. The protein may appear high to some people, but in truth, it is not high for the majority of dogs. Fat and Starch is much more important to watch in a dogs diet, but is not required on a label or bag at all. 18% fat would only be a problem in inactive dogs or already overweight dogs or in large breed puppies (see cautions below).

Meat Protein

Raw Bison, Lamb Meal, Chicken Meal, Roasted Bison, Roasted Venison, Ocean Fish Meal

The benefit to multiple sources of meat protein is that it allows for a better-balanced amino acid profile in the food. Amino Acids are the building blocks of tissue, so this is very important. Every animal must have a certain amount of each amino acid for the body to function properly. Each meat has a different make up of amino acids, so to meet the true needs, multiple sources of meat is a great benefit. If there is a shortage of one particular amino acid, the body may not be able to utilize all of the others. They are not interchangeable.

Negative: The only negative I see in the meat protein list is that the specific fish is not listed. Given that Taste of the Wild only uses human grade fish with natural preservatives and it is ocean fish and not farm raised, this is not a big deal.

Grains

This is a grain free product.

Fruits and Vegetables

Sweet Potatoes, Peas, White Potatoes, Tomato and Tomato Pomace, Blueberries, Raspberries.

These are primarily in the formula for vitamins and other antioxidants, as well as high quality fiber and starch for energy.

Fats

Chicken fat, preserved with mixed Tocopherols, which is a natural preservative and sources of natural Vitamin E.

This is a suitable source of fat that is well tolerated by dogs.

Vitamins

Vitamin E Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1)
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Biotin (a B vitamin)
Vitamin A Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
Vitamin D Supplement Vitamin B12 supplement
Calcium Pantothenate Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Folic Acid (a B vitamin) Choline Chloride (a B-complex vitamin)

There are also many natural sources of these and other vitamins contained in the fruit and vegetable ingredients in this food.

Having both the natural and the supplemented vitamins allows for better absorbtion rates for each one.

See the Vitamin Reference for detailed information about the nutritional value of any vitamin.

Minerals

Copper Proteinate Manganese Proteinate
Copper Sulfate Manganous Oxide
Ferrous Sulfate Potassium Iodide
Iron Proteinate, Sodium Selenate
Zinc Proteinate Zinc Sulfate

Many of the minerals in Taste of the Wild are chelated. This means that they are bonded to amino acid molecules which make the mineral much more readily absorbed by the digestive system. The chelated minerals in this formula are Iron, Zinc, Copper and Manganese.

There are also added forms of non – chelated minerals that absorb well or to have an additional source.

See the Mineral Reference for detailed information about the nutritional value of any vitamin.

Amino Acids

No specifically listed supplimented amino acids.

Extras

Dried Chickory Root is well known a digestive aid because it ferments in the colon and produces short chain fatty acids that provide energy for the cells of the colon wall.

Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum are all helpful digestive bacteria that are often lacking in the digestive system.

Trichoderma longibrachiatum is a helpful digestive enzyme that is often lacking in the body. Many digestive issues come from sufficient digestive enzymes. I find this to be very important and take them myself.

The fruits and vegetables in the formula also act as digestive aids because of the fiber content of them. Fiber is essential in any animal’s diet.

Eggs – an excellent source of additional protein and nutrients not found in muscle tissue.

Product In Summary

Grain Free – A very big issue when dogs have allergies to corn, soy or wheat.
Multiple meats in each formula to allow for a better balanced amino acid profile.
Natural digestive aids and probiotics are added for support of the digestive system.
Fruits and vegetables are added for a natural source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Chelated minerals

All of this means that this company has tried its best to give your dog everything it needs for daily nutrition. Taste of the Wild labels read to be holistic, meaning no by-products, but they do not necessarily market it as such so I can’t say for sure. I really like the holistic products, as I firmly believe in a whole food lifestyle. I don’t necessarily get it done myself, but I believe in it.

I know of several specific incidences of dogs that were having skin and coat problems, some pretty severe, that have vastly improved on Taste of the Wild products. The dogs were put through a digestive cleansing period of a week and then slowly moved to a Taste of the Wild product and have not had a recurrence of the previous problems.

These products have no BHT or BHA (artificial and potentially harmful preservatives) and no menadione (potentially harmful and unnecessary source of Vitamin K) on the label and these additives do have labeling requirements. The company states that they use only suppliers of human grade meats with no Ethoxyquin (potentially harmful preservative), antibiotics or hormones. They use only natural preservatives, such as mixed tocopherols, which is a natural source of vitamin E.

Cautions

This product is stated to be for all life stages, including large breed puppies. However, I have to caution you on a few things. Do not feed a large breed puppy free choice or quite as much as indicated on the bag for their weight. Closely watch intake and weight of these type puppies, as a large breed puppy needs to be kept lean so that they do not develop bone and joint problems. Your vet can help you determine weight issues. Also, with overweight dogs you will have to watch intake more closely as these products are reasonably high in fat.

Overall, I have to say I like this food. I wouldn’t hesitate to feed it to my dogs. The company has obviously worked hard to produce a good quality, natural type feed for our dogs. They even use purified water in the manufacturing process so you don’t get the potentially harmful additives that municipal systems put in their water supply.

Rating

I give Taste of the Wild High Prairie formula an EXCELLENT rating for the quality of the ingredient list.

I give this product and ABOVE AVERAGE rating for value. At about $1.15 per day for a 60lb dog, it is one of the lower cost-per-day for a product of this quality. Most products of this type and quality are much higher. The grain free, all meat products are always more expensive than the same quality products containing grains.

I give this product an EXCELLENT rating for the manufacturer because I feel they have done a great job producing a high quality product that they monitor consistently.

Taste of the Wild Dog Food High Prairie Formula is manufactured by Diamond Pet Food – Meta, MO.

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