Rating: 
Blue Seal canned dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The Blue Seal product line includes six canned dog foods… each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
- Blue Seal Pork and Barley Harvest Supper
- Blue Seal Beef and Vegetable Harvest Supper
- Blue Seal Lamb and Vegetable Harvest Supper
- Blue Seal Salmon and Ocean Fish Harvest Supper
- Blue Seal Chicken and Vegetable Harvest Supper
- Blue Seal Senior Chicken and Brown Rice Harvest Supper
Blue Seal Chicken and Vegetable Harvest Supper was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Blue Seal Chicken and Vegetable Harvest Supper
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, ground barley, rolled oats, carrots, sweet potatoes, ground brown rice, peas, guar gum, carrageenan, minerals (iron amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, cobalt amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, potassium iodide), salt, vitamins (vitamin E, A, B12, D3 supplements, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, riboflavin supplement), choline chloride, potassium chloride
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first item in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken 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 chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, chicken liver is a beneficial component.
The fourth 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.
The fifth item lists oats. Oats are rich in complex carbohydrates, B-vitamins and fiber.
The sixth item lists carrots. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The seventh ingredient is 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.
The eighth item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The ninth ingredient mentions peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
The tenth 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.
Carrageenan is another gelatin-like thickening agent extracted from seaweed. Carrageenan has been safely used as a food additive for hundreds of years.
Finally, this food does appear to contain 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 Seal Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line
The ingredients used to make this Blue Seal Dog Food product are considered standard fare for any quality canned 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 36%, a fat level of 32% and estimated carbohydrates of about 24%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 37% and a mean fat level of 33%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 23% for the overall product line.
Near-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-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 fair amount of meat.
In addition, it’s important to acknowledge the absence here of any critical Red Flag items.
Bottom line?
Blue Seal Dog Food is a meat-based canned product utilizing a respectable amount of various named species as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a comparable kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Blue Seal 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
04/13/2010 Original review
11/13/2010 Review updated
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.