Rating: 
Authority dry dog food earns the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
The Authority product line includes 13 dry dog foods. Since we could not locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these products on the Authority website, we’re unable to report life stage recommendations.
- Authority Puppy with Real Lamb
- Authority Puppy with Real Chicken
- Authority Senior with Real Chicken
- Authority Adult Chunk with Real Lamb
- Authority Adult Chunk with Real Chicken
- Authority Adult Mini Chunk with Real Lamb
- Authority Adult Mini Chunk with Real Chicken
- Authority Adult Large Breed with Real Chicken
- Authority Puppy Large Breed with Real Chicken
- Authority Senior Large Breed with Real Chicken
- Authority Adult Large Breed Weight Management
- Authority Adult Weight Management with Real Lamb
- Authority Adult Weight Management with Real Chicken
Authority Dog Food Large Breed with Real Chicken was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Authority Adult Large Breed with Real Chicken
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, (source of glucosamine and chondroitin) brown rice, corn, oat groats, corn gluten meal, dried beet pulp, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), natural flavor, dicalcium phosphate, dried egg product, canola oil, potassium chloride, choline chloride, vitamin and mineral supplements (zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of ascorbic acid), copper sulfate, vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, d calcium pantothenate, vitamin D3 supplement, riboflavin, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamin mononitrate, folic acid, sodium selenite, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), dried chicken cartilage (source of glucosamine and chondroitin)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 25% | 12% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 28% | 13% | 51% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 25% | 29% | 46% |
The first ingredient in this dog food lists chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably occupy a lower position on the list.
Which brings us to chicken meal… the second and (most likely) the dominant meat ingredient in this dog food.
Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The fourth item is corn. Now, contrary to what you may have heard, corn isn’t necessarily a bad ingredient.
On the other hand, although there’s no way to know for sure here, the corn used in making many pet foods can be similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.
And that can sometimes be problematic.
What’s more, corn is commonly linked to canine food allergies1.
For these reasons, we rarely consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The fifth item is oat groats… a whole grain, minimally processed form of oats. So long as they are adequately cooked, groats are unusually high in nutritional value.
The sixth item is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate (the good stuff) washed out of it.
Compared to meat, glutens are inferior grain-based proteins low in many of the essential amino acids dogs need for life.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.
The seventh ingredient mentions dried beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
The eighth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is a quality ingredient.
After the natural flavor, we find dicalcium phosphate… probably used here as a dietary calcium supplement.
The next ingredient is dried egg product… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries… from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, we note the inclusion of canola oil. Most applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content… while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.2
Next, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
And finally, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Authority Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
The first three ingredients of each Authority dry dog food include a meat, a meat meal and brown rice… all considered better ingredients.
However, the list goes on to add lower quality items.
Yet ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 13% and estimated carbohydrates of about 51%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 13%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 52% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbs… as compared to a typical dry dog food.
In any case, when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a modest amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Authority Dog Food is a plant-based kibble using a modest amount of chicken or lamb meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.
Recommended.
Those looking for a comparable wet food from the same company may wish to visit our review of Authority canned dog food.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in a specific health benefit for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
03/14/2010 Original review
10/14/2010 Review updated
10/14/2010 Last Update
- White, S., Update on food allergy in the dog and cat, World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Vancouver, 2001 ↩
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005), retrieved 12/05/2009 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.