Rating: 
By Nature dry dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The By Nature Dog Food product line includes seven kibbles… five designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and two for adult maintenance.
- By Nature Adult Formula
- By Nature Active Formula
- By Nature Puppy Formula
- By Nature Large Breed Adult
- By Nature Duck and Sweet Peas Flavor
- By Nature Pork and Sweet Potato Flavor
- By Nature Salmon, Ocean Fish and Yogurt Flavor
By Nature Dog Food Duck and Sweet Peas Flavor was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
By Nature Duck and Sweet Peas Flavor
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Duck meal, turkey meal, ground barley, ground oats, ground brown rice, chicken fat (stabilized with mixed tocopherols), sweet peas, flaxseed meal, tomato pomace, natural flavors, alfalfa meal, salt, yeast culture, potassium chloride, taurine, vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, cranberries, dried chicory root, raspberries, turmeric, 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, rosemary extract, dried yeast fermentation solubles
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first two items in this dog food are duck and turkey meals. Duck and turkey meals are both considered meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than even fresh poultry.
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 includes ground oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
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 includes sweet peas. Peas are considered a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re loaded with natural fiber.
What’s more, peas contain about 25% protein which must be considered when evaluating the total protein reported in this food.
The eighth item lists flaxseed meal… one of the best vegetable sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. And the seeds are rich in soluble and insoluble fiber.
The ninth ingredient lists tomato pomace. Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient… a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content… while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
After the natural flavors, we find alfalfa meal. Alfalfa meal is high in plant protein (about 18%) and dietary fiber, this hay-family item is more commonly associated with horse feeds.
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 can be considered a nutritious additive.
Next, although we find no mention of probiotics on the list, we do see chicory root. Chicory contains inulin… a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
And lastly, this food also 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.
By Nature Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, By Nature Dog Food appears to be an above-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 30%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 45%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 46% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Near-average fat. And average carbohydrates when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Excluding the protein-boosting peas found at a low number seven position on the list, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
By Nature Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of poultry or salmon meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a canned dog food from the same company may wish to visit our review of By Nature Goldleaf Selects.
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
04/25/2010 Original review
11/25/2010 Review updated
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.