Rating: 
Before Grain dry dog food gets the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.
The Before Grain product line includes three dry dog foods… each designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
- Before Grain Buffalo Dog Food
- Before Grain Chicken Dog Food
- Before Grain Salmon Dog Food
Before Grain Buffalo dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Before Grain Buffalo
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Buffalo deboned, chicken meal, potato dehydrated,turkey meal, chicken fat(preserved with mixed tocopherols a source of vitamin E,sweet potato dehydrated, yeast culture, natural flavor, blueberry dried, organic alfalfa, salt, sodium phosphate, salmon oil,choline chloride, Yucca schidigera extract, zinc amino acid complex, chicory root, marigold extract, rosemary extract dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, iron amino acid complex, vitamin E supplement, manganese amino acid complex, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, copper amino acid complex, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin D3, niacin, lecithin, riboflavin supplement, biotin, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cobalt amino acid complex, folic acid, thiamine mononitrate, sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is buffalo. Although it is a quality item, raw buffalo 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 account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
Which brings us to chicken meal… the second and (more 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 ingredient is dehydrated potato… a dried product made from potatoes and retaining most of the tuber’s healthy nutrients.
The fourth item is turkey meal. Like chicken meal, turkey meal is another high protein meat concentrate.
The fifth ingredient includes 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. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The sixth ingredient is dehydrated sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in fiber, beta carotene and other healthy nutrients.
After the natural chicken and pork flavor, we find 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.
The ninth ingredient is yeast culture. Although yeast culture is high in B-vitamins and protein, it can also be used as a probiotic to aid in digestion.
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 four notable exceptions…
First, the salmon oil listed here is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids… essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life. This is a quality ingredient.
Next, the manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
Thirdly, chicory root is naturally rich in a substance called inulin… a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
And lastly, this food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Before Grain Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Before Grain appears to be a very good dog food.
But 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 36%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 39%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 36% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 39% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
With no sign of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Before Grain is a grain-free dry dog food using a generous amount of named meats as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a wet product from the same company may wish to visit our review of Before Grain 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
02/08/2010 Original review
09/13/2010 Review updated
05/16/2011 Review updated
08/21/2011 Review updated (added chicken and pork flavor)
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.