Rating: 
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews Canned Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.
The Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews product line includes five canned dog foods, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.
- Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews Hunter’s Stew
- Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews Irish Lamb Stew
- Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews Hearty Beef Stew
- Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews Tasty Turkey Stew
- Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews Country Chicken Stew
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews Hearty Beef Stew was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.
Blue Buffalo Blue's Stews Hearty Beef Stew
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Beef, beef broth, water, peas, egg, potato starch, carrots, guar gum, whole potatoes, natural flavor, salt, sodium phosphate, potassium chloride, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin b1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), d-calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), biotin (vitamin B7), folic acid (vitamin B9), vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, choline chloride
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5.6%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 8% | 5% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 44% | 28% | 20% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 34% | 51% | 15% |
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 beef broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The third ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The fourth ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient is eggs. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The sixth ingredient is potato starch. Potato starch is a gluten-free carbohydrate used more for its thickening properties than its nutritional value.
The seventh item lists carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The eighth ingredient is guar gum, a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.
The ninth ingredient is potato. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
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 one notable exceptions…
Blue’s Stews 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.
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews canned dog foods looks like an above average 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 44%, a fat level of 28% and estimated carbohydrates of about 20%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 43% and a mean fat level of 28%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 21% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 64%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, this looks like the profile of a canned dog food containing a notable amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stews is a meat-based canned dog food using a generous amount of various poultry, lamb or beef as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a nice kibble from the same company may want to check out our review of Blue Buffalo Life Protection Dog Food.
Please note some products may have been given higher or lower ratings based upon our estimate of their total meat content.
Special Alert
Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.
A Final Word
The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.
Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.
Each review is offered in good faith and has been 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 analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.
In closing, we do not accept money, gifts or samples from pet food companies in exchange for special consideration in the preparation of our reviews or ratings.
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Have an opinion about this dog food? Or maybe the review itself? Please know we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
06/01/2010 Original review
01/01/2011 Review updated
05/25/2011 Review updated
12/19/2012 Review updated
12/19/2012 Last Update
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
