Rating: 
Nature’s Variety Instinct Dog Food in its canned form is a grain-free product which easily earns our top rating.
Currently, the Nature’s Variety Instinct canned line includes six different products…
- Nature’s Variety Instinct Chicken Formula
- Nature’s Variety Instinct Beef Formula
- Nature’s Variety Instinct Duck Formula
- Nature’s Variety Instinct Lamb Formula
- Nature’s Variety Instinct Rabbit Formula
- Nature’s Variety Instinct Venison Formula
Nature’s Variety’s Instinct Duck Formula was chosen as a good example to review in this report.
Nature's Variety Instinct Duck Formula
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: duck, turkey liver, water, flaxseed, tricalcium phosphate, peas, potassium chloride, carrots, lecithin, vitamins (choline chloride, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, vitamin e supplement, niacin supplement, vitamin b12 supplement, vitamin a supplement, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, riboflavin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin d3 supplement, folic acid), dried kelp, salt, taurine, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, sodium selenite, ethylenediamine dihydriodide), artichokes, cranberries, pumpkin, tomato, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, kale, parsley. ef meal, barley, brown rice, oatmeal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), ground flaxseeds, montmorillonite clay, natural chicken flavor, alfalfa meal, potassium chloride, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin e supplement, duck, turkey liver, water, flaxseed, tricalcium phosphate, peas, potassium chloride, carrots, lecithin, vitamins (choline chloride, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, vitamin e supplement, niacin supplement, vitamin b12 supplement, vitamin a supplement, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, riboflavin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin d3 supplement, folic acid), dried kelp, salt, taurine, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, sodium selenite, ethylenediamine dihydriodide), artichokes, cranberries, pumpkin, tomato, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, kale, parsley. ascorbic acid, biotin, niacin supplement, vitamin a acetate, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin b12 supplement, beta carotene, vitamin d3 supplement, folic acid), sea salt, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, sodium selenite), chicken liver, inulin, flaxseed oil, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, apples, carrots, peas, cottage cheese, chicken eggs, freeze dried beef, freeze dried beef hearts, freeze dried beef liver, pumpkinseeds, ground beef bone, butternut squash, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, dried kelp, salmon oil, apple cider vinegar, parsley, honey, blueberries, alfalfa sprouts, persimmons, olive oil, duck eggs, pheasant eggs, quail eggs, sage, clove, rosemary extractduck, turkey liver, water, flaxseed, tricalcium phosphate, peas, potassium chloride, carrots, lecithin, vitamins (choline chloride, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, vitamin e supplement, niacin supplement, vitamin b12 supplement, vitamin a supplement, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, riboflavin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin d3 supplement, folic acid), dried kelp, salt, taurine, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, sodium selenite, ethylenediamine dihydriodide), artichokes, cranberries, pumpkin, tomato, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, kale, parsley.
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 12%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
Ingredients Make the Food
The first ingredient in this product is, of course, duck. Duck is defined by AAFCO as “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of duck”.
Doesn’t sound very appetizing. But don’t worry. To a dog… it is.
Now, unfortunately, this definition does little to describe the actual quality of the meat. If you don’t see the term “by-products” you can be reasonably certain this is a quality ingredient.
The second ingredient is turkey liver. Provided it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, liver can be a nutritious component.
The third ingredient is water. This should not be considered an unusual item in any canned product.
A Nice Feature… in an Unexpected Form
The fourth item is flaxseed.
Flaxseed can be an amazing ingredient. It is one of the very best sources of omega-6 fatty acids… essential to a dog’s life. And it is naturally rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber.
However, I find it strange to see flaxseed here in its whole seed form. Whole flax seeds are almost impossible to digest (at least for us humans) unless they are first ground to a usable powder before they are consumed.
The Right Kind of Minerals
This dog food contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to amino acids.
This makes them much more easily absorbed than non-chelated minerals… and less likely to be passed (wasted) into a dog’s stools.
Bottom Line
Now, it’s never easy to tell with certainty how much of any dog food is actually made from meat.
But with its unusually high protein content of 36% and containing no Red Flag Ingredients, the dashboard suggests Nature’s Variety Instinct Canned Dog Food to be a most excellent product.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Is this dog food the perfect one for your dog?
Well, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, check labels… and choose wisely.
