Rating: 
Black Gold Dog Food Signature Series earns the Advisor’s second-lowest rating of two stars.
Currently, the Black Gold Signature Series includes three kibbles… plus ten others marketed under its standard Black Gold Dog Food brand and covered in a separate review.
- Black Gold Ultimate Adult
- Black Gold Ultimate Performance
- Black Gold Ultimate Puppy
Black Gold Ultimate Performance Dog Food was picked to represent the others in the line for this review.
Black Gold Ultimate Performance
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, corn meal, fish meal, poultry fat preserved with mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E), brewers rice, corn gluten meal, ground whole grain barley, dried beet pulp, vegetable oil, natural poultry flavor, potassium chloride, dried egg product, brewers dried yeast, salt, inulin, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, zinc oxide, zinc proteinate, copper sulfate, vitamin B12 supplement, niacin, biotin, vitamin A acetate, manganese proteinate, taurine, copper proteinate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), calcium iodate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), vitamin D3 supplement, cobalt carbonate, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The second ingredient lists corn meal. Corn meal is a ground flour made from dried corn. Although there’s no way to know for sure, it’s reasonable to assume the corn described here is similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.
Feed corn can be contaminated with insects, mites and molds.
Many blame corn for chronic canine allergies. But those allergies are probably more a result of what’s in the corn… rather than the corn itself.
The third ingredient is fish meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. The term “fish” does little to adequately describe this ingredient. What species? What parts?
Fish meal is commonly made from the by-products of commercial fish operations.
What’s more, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative in fish meals.
But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, ethoxyquin’s presence does not have to be reported to consumers.
Without knowing more, and based upon this fish meal’s location on the list of ingredients, it’s reasonable to expect to find a notable amount of the chemical in this product.
The fourth item is poultry fat. Poultry fat is a generic by-product of “rendering”… the same high-temperature process used to make meat meals.
There’s no mention of a specific source animal here. Generic poultry fat like this is an inexpensive ingredient usually found in dog foods of lower quality.
The fifth ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice.
This is a cheap cereal grain by-product and not a quality ingredient.
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 lacking many of the essential amino acids dogs need to sustain life.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.
The seventh ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs. This is a quality grain ingredient.
We also note the listing of 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 (as it looks to be here) is entirely acceptable.
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.
Unfortunately, this Black Gold product also contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
Black Gold Signature Series… the Bottom Line
From its ingredients, this Black Gold Signature Series product looks like a typical “price-first” dry dog food.
Yet, to be fair, it’s important to complete our review with a look at the product’s protein, fat and carbohydrate numbers.
The dashboard reports a dry matter protein reading of 34%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 42%.
High protein. Moderate fat. And lower “carbs” (a good thing)… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
A surprisingly favorable profile.
But when you consider the low-quality of the ingredients used to make it (and all the products in the line), Black Gold Signature Series reveals itself as a below-average dog food.
Bottom line?
Black Gold Signature Series Dog Food is primarily a cheaply-made grain-based kibble that uses chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand a disappointing two stars.
Not recommended.
Some Final Thoughts
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult your veterinarian for help.
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