Rating: 
Blue Seal dry dog food gets the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
The Blue Seal product line includes eight dry dog foods… four meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and four for adult maintenance.
- Blue Seal Puppy
- Blue Seal Senior Formula
- Blue Seal Adult Dog Formula
- Blue Seal Active Dog Formula
- Blue Seal Low Calorie Dog Formula
- Blue Seal Performance Dog Formula
- Blue Seal Lamb and Rice Flavor for Dogs
- Blue Seal Pork and Barley Flavor for Dogs (4 stars)
Blue Seal Puppy Formula dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Blue Seal Puppy Formula
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, ground corn, ground barley, rice bran, corn gluten meal, chicken fat (stabilized with mixed tocopherols), ground oats, ground beet pulp, natural flavor, ground flaxseed, calcium carbonate, fish meal, yeast culture, salt, potassium chloride, sweet potatoes, dried chicory root, blueberries, dried yeast fermentation solubles, vitamin E supplement, taurine, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, niacin supplement, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, d-calcium pantothenate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, selenium yeast, sodium selenite, dl-methionine, rosemary extract, lascorbyl- 2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
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. Now, contrary to what you may have heard, corn isn’t necessarily a bad ingredient.
On the other hand, although there’s no way to know from the list entry itself, the corn used in making many pet foods can be similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.
And that can sometimes be problematic.
What’s more, corn is commonly linked to canine food allergies1.
For these reasons, we rarely consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The third ingredient lists 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 fourth item 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.
The fifth 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 low in many of the essential amino acids dogs need for life.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.
The sixth 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. Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is a quality ingredient.
The seventh ingredient mentions oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The eighth ingredient lists 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.
After the natural flavor, we find flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
Because it is considered another meat concentrate, fish meal can contain a significant amount of protein.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. Because various fish contain different types of fats, we would have preferred to have known the species.
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, the chemical does not have to be reported to consumers.
We find no public assurances from the company this product is ethoxyquin-free.
Without knowing more, and based upon this fish meal’s location on the list of ingredients, we would expect to find at least a trace of ethoxyquin in this product.
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, we note the inclusion of dried yeast fermentation solubles which contain protein and other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
What’s more, a vocal minority insist yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something we’ve not been able to verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast should be considered a moderately nutritious additive.
Next, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
And lastly, this food does 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 Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Blue Seal Dog Food appears to be a fairly 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 31%, a fat level of 13% and estimated carbohydrates of about 48%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 14%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 50% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Below-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
In addition, when you consider the plant-based protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.
However, the lack of both corn gluten meal and ground corn in the Blue Seal Pork and Barley Flavor compel us to upgrade its rating to our next higher category.
Bottom line?
Blue Seal Dog Food is a plant-based dry kibble using a fair amount of chicken, lamb or pork meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.
Recommended.
Those looking for a wet product from the same company may wish to visit our review of Blue Seal canned 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
04/12/2010 Original review
11/12/2010 Review updated
- White, S., Update on food allergy in the dog and cat, World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Vancouver, 2001 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.