Burns Dog Food (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★☆☆

Burns Dog Food earns the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.

The Burns product line lists three dry dog foods… each designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.

  • Burns Brown Rice and Ocean Fish
  • Burns Brown Rice and Chicken
  • Burns Mini Bites

Burns Dog Food Brown Rice and Chicken dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Burns Brown Rice and Chicken

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 20% | Fat = 8% | Carbs = 64%

Ingredients: whole grain brown rice, chicken meal, peas, oats, chicken fat, sunflower oil, seaweed, calcium carbonate, niacin supplement, dlalpha tocopharyl acetate (vitamin E supplement) dcalcium pantotthenate, vitamin A acetate, riboflavine supplement, vitamin D supplement, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, dbiotin, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, cobalt proteinate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, sodium selenite, potassium chloride

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2.4%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

The first ingredient in this dog food is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.

The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The third ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.

What’s more, peas contain about 25% protein which must be considered when evaluating the total protein reported in this food.

The fourth item includes oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

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. Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is a quality ingredient.

The sixth ingredient includes sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is high in linoleic acid… an essential omega-6 fatty acid needed by every dog to sustain life.

But the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in a food is nutritionally critical… and can vary significantly (depending on the quality of the source ingredient itself).

There are several different types of sunflower oil… some better than others. Without knowing more, it is impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.

The seventh item includes seaweed. Seaweed is rich in essential 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 two notable exceptions…

First, 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.

Burns Dog Food… the Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Burns Dog Food has the look and feel of a quality kibble.

However, a glance at the product’s nutrient percentages tells a different story about its meat content.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 20%, a fat level of 8% and estimated carbohydrates of about 64%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 22% and a mean fat level of 10%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 61% for the overall product line.

Below-average protein. Low fat. And high in carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.

When you account for the protein contributed by the peas, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a limited amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Burns Dog Food is a grain-based dry kibble using only a limited amount of chicken or fish meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.

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

04/29/2010 Original review
11/28/2010 Review updated

Dog Food Advisor IconThe Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.


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  • melissa

    Ron-

    I have never heard of anal gland problems being caused by protein-thats a new one on me! LOL. Dogs typically express their anal glands when they defecate, so if the stool is too soft, it can hinder this process. Perhaps they are extrapolating that protein causes soft stool?

  • Ron

    LOL, NO Mike I’m here in the states, I just stumbled across the Burns foods UK site this morning.
    I always wondered why George Burns thinks it is more wise to cut down protein to solve health issues. One example on his page says Anal gland problems can be caused by protein.
    Didn’t know that, but it may be just a way in marketing his foods.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Ron… Each country uses its own unique labeling standards. What’s more, many companies have different recipes for each country in which they market their products. So, I haven’t yet begun any reviews for the UK (even though I love your country). Hope this helps.

  • Ron

    Just out of curiosity I was looking at Burns foods at the UK
    web-site.They seem to have more variety of foods with a few that have higher protein amounts. I’m surprised he has not had similar made over hear as of yet.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Tracey… Your dog’s cancer history is certainly disturbing. However, it would be misleading and inappropriate for me to suggest the dog food is the cause. These days, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the food we eat can all be contaminated with cancer-causing agents (called carcinogens). Then there’s the matter of genetic predisposition, too. In any case, without knowing more, its impossible to say for sure what the source of your dog’s tumors could be. Sorry I can’t be more help.

  • Tracey

    our 7 yr old weimeraner Harley has been on Burns chicken and brown rice for 6 years now, eversince he had a stomach torsion and had his stomach stapled to his sides to prevent it happening again, any other food we tried gave him awful wind and the burns seems to suit him, we also suplements his diet with healthy treats eg tomatoes, apples, bananas,pineaple and fresh chicken all in small quantities. 2 month ago Harley was diagnosed with 6 cancerous tumors which have all now been removed and he has the all clear for now. We have been told there may be more growths appear though. Do you think it could be something in the Burns food that has caused these tumors?