Rating: 
Blackwood canned dog food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
The Blackwood product line includes three canned dog foods… each designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
- Blackwood Beef and Rice Dog Food
- Blackwood Lamb and Rice Dog Food
- Blackwood Chicken and Rice Dog Food
Blackwood Beef and Rice Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Blackwood Beef and Rice
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Beef, water sufficient for processing, beef liver, rice, dried garlic, vitamin A acetate, d-activated animal sterol (source of vitamin D3), dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (source of vitamin E), vitamin B12 supplement, roboflavin supplement, folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, dl-methionine, l-lysine, sodium selenite, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, cobalt carbonate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Beef is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is water… which (of course) adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The third ingredient is beef liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, beef liver is a beneficial component.
The fourth item mentions rice. Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.
The fifth ingredient is dried garlic. Garlic can be a controversial item. Although the majority of experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.2
None of the relevant literature we surveyed offered any conclusive guidelines regarding the use of garlic… especially in small amounts (as it is here).
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 two notable exceptions…
First, the listed minerals 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 lastly, this Blackwood dog food product contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
Blackwood Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Blackwood canned dog food appears to be a decent wet product.
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 41%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 33%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 41% and a mean fat level of 18%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 33% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet food containing a notable amount of meat.
However, it’s unfortunate the company chose to include menadione in its recipes. Without this controversial supplement and the inferior non-chelated minerals, we would have been compelled to award this brand a higher rating.
Bottom line?
Blackwood canned dog food is a meat-based wet product using a notable amount of chicken, beef, lamb or fish as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.
Recommended.
Those looking for a nice kibble to go with this canned product may wish to visit our review of Blackwood dry 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 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
05/06/2010 Original review
12/06/2010 Review updated
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.