Rating: 
Blackwood Black Label dry dog food receives the Advisor’s above-average rating of 4 stars.
The Blackwood Black Label Dog Food product line includes three kibbles… one claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, one for growth (Puppy) and one for adults (Lean Adult).
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.
- Blackwood Puppy Food Growth Diet
- Blackwood Adult Everyday Lean Diet
- Blackwood Adult Lean Diet (3 stars)
Blackwood Adult Everyday Diet was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Blackwood Black Label Adult Everyday Diet
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice, millet, oat groats, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), ground grain sorghum, dried plain beet pulp, menhaden fish meal, rice bran, carrot, celery, beet, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, egg product, brewers dried yeast, natural flavor, whole ground flaxseed, chicken cartilage, salt, fish oil, dlmethionine, lecithin, potassium chloride, lysine, calcium carbonate, rosemary powder, ground thyme, ground cumin, mustard seed powder, crushed red chili pepper, cranberry, apple, pumpkin meal, kelp meal, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product dehydrated, Fructooligosaccharide (FOS), glucosamine HCl, Yucca schidigera extract, taurine, vitamin E supplement, mineral oil, ascorbic acid, niacin supplement, organic dried kelp, dcalcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A acetate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, citric acid, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, iron sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper sulfate, zinc oxide, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, manganous oxide, selenium, calcium iodate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 25% | 14% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 27% | 16% | 49% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 24% | 33% | 43% |
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 is brown rice… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The third ingredient lists millet… gluten-free grains harvested from certain seed grasses. Millet is hypoallergenic and naturally rich in B-vitamins and fiber… as well as other essential minerals.
The fourth ingredient includes 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 fifth ingredient lists 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 sorghum. Sorghum is a starchy cereal grain with a nutrient profile similar to corn.
Since it is gluten-free and boasts a smoother blood sugar behavior than other grains, sorghum may be considered an acceptable non-meat ingredient.
The seventh ingredient is 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 menhaden fish meal… like chicken meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. They are rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item appears1 to be ethoxyquin-free.
The ninth ingredient is rice bran… a healthy by-product of rice milling. Though not as nutritionally complete as whole grain rice, brans are still unusually rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.
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, the company appears to have applied friendly microorganisms to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
Next, this recipe contains fructooligosaccharide… an alternative sweetener2 probably used here as a prebiotic. Prebiotics function to support the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine.
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.
Blackwood Black Label Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Blackwood Black Label dog food looks to be an above-average kibble.
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 27%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 49%.
Due to its apparently lower meat content, the Lean Diet product has been assigned to our next lower category.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 51% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Average fat. And average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Blackwood Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand 4 stars.
Highly recommended.
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 specific health benefits 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
09/07/2011 Original review
09/08/2011 Last Update
- Blackwood Customer Service via email, 9/7/2011 ↩
- Wikipedia definition ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.
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