California Natural (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★☆☆

California Natural Dry Dog Food gets the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.

California Natural brand lists nine dry dog foods… four designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance and five for all life stages.

  • California Natural Lamb Meal and Rice Adult Large Bites
  • California Natural Lamb Meal and Rice Adult Small Bites
  • California Natural Chicken Meal and Rice Adult
  • California Natural Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Senior
  • California Natural Low Fat Rice and Lamb Meal Adult
  • California Natural Low Fat Rice and Chicken Meal Adult
  • California Natural Herring and Sweet Potato Adult
  • California Natural Lamb Meal and Rice Puppy
  • California Natural Chicken Meal and Rice Puppy

California Natural Dog Food Lamb Meal and Rice Adult Small Bites was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Adult Small Bites

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 23% | Fat = 12% | Carbs = 57%

Ingredients: Lamb meal, brown rice, rice, sunflower oil, natural flavors, potassium chloride, ascorbic acid, beta carotene, biotin, calcium carbonate, calcium iodate, choline chloride, cobalt carbonate, cobalt proteinate, copper proteinate, d-calcium pantothenate, dicalcium pantothenate, dl-methionine, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, niacin, potassium chloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin C supplement (sodium ascorbate), vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement (alpha tocopherol), zinc proteinate, taurine, rosemary extract

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2.2%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

The first ingredient in this dog food lists lamb meal. Lamb meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than even fresh lamb.

The second item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.

The third ingredient mentions rice. Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.

The fourth ingredient lists sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is high in linoleic acid… an essential omega-6 fat 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.

Lastly, we note1 this food 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.

California Natural Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, California Natural Dog Food looks 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 29%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 45%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 25% and a mean fat level of 12%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 55% for the overall product line.

Below-average protein. Above-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.

With no sign of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a modest amount of meat.

Bottom line?

California Natural Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a modest amount of lamb, chicken or herring meals as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.

Recommended.

Those looking for a quality wet food from the same company may wish to visit our review of California Natural 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

11/07/2010 Original review
04/15/2010 Review updated
11/15/2010 Review updated
01/31/2011 Review updated (added Senior Formula)

  1. California Natural, 4/15/2010 ↩
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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  • Marie

    Yes, some of the boutiques I frequent in the Atlanta area have lost my business because they stopped carrying Natura products.

  • Traci Klimek

    I believe you are mistaken. California Natural, Innova and Evo are all Natura Pet and P&G bought Natura Pet- a few places in the Atlanta area stopped selling all em. Murray, my now 1yr lab is having allergy type issues again- itchy flakey vomiting up food ear problem which he’s never had before so yes we are going to the vet before assuming his calif natural grain free venison did it to him. Hard to say- but we do watch everything he eats- all same ol grain free no chicken or eggs or any sort of

  • Dog Food Expert Ann

    Just saw Googled the news that the Naturapet couple, succumbed to the millions that P&G must have paid them to get their excellent product (i.e. competition) off the market. As of 5/2010, always have your dog examined by a vet if you experience ANY reaction (other than allergy) from ANY food, not just foods P&G have bought out. 
    I am confident the recipe is still the same although the source of the meat and grain has most certainly changed… time for a call to P&G to confirm.

  • Dog Food Expert Ann

    Traci – the buy out was not the California Natural recipe, it was the company’s Innova product. The company still exists as it did before. California Natural is made by Naturapet. Innova is now owned by Proctor & Gamble (who kept Naturapet on for the first year to maintain the formulation.)

  • Dog Food Expert Ann

    Laura, Since your dogs were fine for a month on the food and it is just now a month later that your dogs are vomiting, I am suspect of your conclusion. You also gave us no details about the nature of the vomit (foamy, yellow, contains no food, etc.) Unsubstantiated statements = libel and it confuses those who aren’t medically knowledgeable. Maybe you should take your dogs to a vet before jumping to this conclusion. I am suspect that your dogs’ problem is from the food. I have fed CN to over 30 dogs (purebred and mixed breed rescue) for 10 years and never once had illness of any sort. Additionally, CN uses free-range meats, and at one point the couple who owned the company actually raised their own livestock here in America. I have a dog food analysis blog so, yes, I am more advanced on this topic than most, which is why your statement sounds fishy. Plus, $75 makes it sound like you are exaggerating. Most pet stores in my area sell bags ranging from $15 to $36. I am also surprised that Dog Food Advisor rated this so low when their conclusion contained few “red” notes.

  • Karen

    Tried it, but my sensitive girl got a rash after about a week. Have changed to another high grade food and she is back to normal. Don’t know why that happened but it did. 

  • sandy

    Susan,

    I have a 7 and 9 yr old pugs which do well on Brothers, Great Life GF, Amicus (in the past), Nutrisca (finishing this one up and rotating it out) and topped (occasionally) with Weruva, Addiction or Merrick.

  • Chel

    Got a 4.5 year old 60 lb.Terv Rescue at Thanksgiving and the bag of CN Chicken & Brown Rice came with him. He’d just started on it, so I have kept him on it to not upset him more. He’s doing well although I’ve had to add yogurt occasionally for constipation. It gave my other Terv diarrhea but she has a a finicky stomach and I only tried it a couple of times last spring.
    At the moment I have no complaints with CN for my male Terv and he adjusted quickly to it and is looking much better. I do rotate food and am researching where to go next. 

  • Susan

    Our two dogs have been on CN for many years now with NO issues. THey have eaten the Low Fat Lamb and Herring & Sweet Potato served with a topper of EVO canned or CN canned, plus human cooked food here and there…..I reduce the kibble to watch the calories.

    I tried switching them to EVO kibble, it did not work, no matter how gradual I tried, the high protein did not do well for my 8 and 7 year old dogs. I was blessed the store where I purchased the EVO from took it back for a store credit.

    What to feed your pets these days is such a “hot” topic.

  • Randie

    Has anyone tried their new grain-free limited-ingredients dog food – http://www.rotatewithconfidence.com/ . They have several formulas: kangaroo, venison, lamb, salmon, chicken. Great for those who like to rotation diets.

  • melissa

    Just an update-

    Interesting enough, when I tried to bring the Cali Natural up higher than 50 percent, several of the dogs got the runs-bad-Since my dogs are typically fat sensitive, I never in a million years expected this from a food that listed 11% fat. I had used it many years ago and loved it. I did mix a bag of Innova in the rotation, and it was fine. For some reason, the Innova at a higher stated fat content was “less greasy” looking then the California Natural-Very disappointing!

  • melissa

    Laura-

    Your dogs may have a virus-

    I just added California Natural chicken/rice into my rotation as Acana Grasslands proved to be too “rich” for my dogs with pancreatitis issues “solo”-they were fine when the GF was mixed with a lower protein/fat food, but the moment I took it out-7-8 days later issues. I was able to add the Cal Natural in “cold turkey” at the rate of 50 percent(in a hurry to cut their fat intake) and voila-no stomach issues what so ever. I also added it to my rescue with skin problems, so will see how her skin responds to this food.

  • Gordon

    Laura – Take it back and complain! Stop feeding processed foods and maybe consider the dog’s natural alternative, like raw meats and bone.

  • Laura

    I have 3 dogs, all cocker spaniels. Since switching to California natural I now have 3 vomiting cocker spaniels. No other changes in environment but switched to California Natural about 1 month ago and this week everyone is vomiting. Just what I wanted from a dog food that I spent $75 per bag for.

  • Tasha

    All three of my dogs became ill with severe diarrhea after eating California Natural Lamb and Rice Small Bites. They required prescriptions from the vet and a special diet to recover. When the first one regained his health, I fed him the California Natural again (not knowing that was the cause of their diarrhea) and he became ill with severe diarrhea again. I started researching the internet today to find if others are having the same issues, and low and behold I find that P&G bought Natura. I will never trust or buy this brand again.

  • Traci

    I tried a few samples of ca nat’l venison on my 11 month black lab w/ grain allergies and intolerances with chicken, turkey, and egg products- once I decided to buy a bag, the pet store recommended that I not buy due to p&g buyout. I reluctantly went elsewhere to buy out of frustration trying to find suitable food that he can tolerate that was not too high in protein. There’s not many choices left! I’m still feeding him ca nat’l venison and he’s been doing soo good… shiny coat, no digestion issues and very happy & healthy. Of course if I notice adverse effects, I will address at then but I think p&g, even with the past reported animal testing and changes to iams, has hopefully learned not to mess with a good thing. Some dogs live hearty long years eating Ol Roy- but some have issues- IMO, it depends how each indiv dog is. Before my lab, I had 2 other dogs that ate eukanuba and lived until 14 & 15 yrs.. if it weren’t for all of the issues my lab had with allergies and intolerances, I’d probably be feeding him the same.

  • Robin Senor

    We have a Great Pyranees with a very sensitive digestive system, eruptive skin allergies, and we imagine something serious underlying (still trying to discover the underlying cause). We’ve gone from food to food, trying about 4 brands before CA natural. It has been a tremendous change for him- no more itching, eruption, or loose stools. Very happy with this food.

  • Meagan

    My puppy’s stools have finally firmed up after switching her from Diamond Naturals ALS to California Natural Lamb and Rice puppy formula. I am so happy!

  • jo firetto

    Since P&G bought out CN and all the other brands I have backed off purchesing any of them. Promises could change in time or maybe it already has. I will stick with my gut feeling.!!

  • Meagan

    I will be transitioning my pups the the Lamb and rice puppy formula.

  • Meagan

    The two puppy formulas look to be better than the adult formuls, both at 26% protein “as fed.” The adult formulas are at 21% “as fed.”

  • http://www.whosyourvet.com Sandi

    A class action lawsuit may affect your rights if you purchased Innova, EVO, California Natural, HealthWise, Mother Nature, or Karma dog or cat food products during the time period from March 20, 2005 to July 8, 2011

    The lawsuit claims Natura made false and misleading statements about the human grade quality of its food.

    http://www.petproductssettlement.com/EN/

  • Matthew

    I think P & G won’t risk Naturas current loyal customers, but ya never know. My GS loves his CN & is doin really well on it so far. So like you said Mary, so far good.

  • Mary

    My lab-shep mix had terrible skin allergies until I put her on California Natural’s Herring and Sweet Potato. Total turnaround in just a week or so. I just adopted a very skinny stray, and am feeding her this as well. She’s gained weight and health quickly. I wrote to the company (Natura) about P & G and they swear nothing will change–so far, so good. so maybe nothing has.

  • Matthew

    Hi Matt, so far so good with this dog food dude. We feed our dog this one topped with CN canned lamb & rice. Our dog looks great, acts great , all great!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Matt… Proctor and Gamble acquired Natura Pet (the maker of California Natural) back on May 5, 2010. And based upon P&G’s history, I can understand your concern. However, in the spirit of fairness to all (including pet food manufacturers), it’s unreasonable and unscientific to assume a merger will automatically produce inferior products.

    In any case, we try our best to intentionally ignore the never-ending barrage of unverifiable rumors and pet food industry politics. And we focus on the only source of information we feel we can reliably trust… government-regulated pet food labels. To see why we ignore almost everything else, you may wish to visit our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews“.

    To hear what others have to say, why not browse the Comments section after each review in which you might have some personal interest. In any case, whether or not you choose to pay attention to the reports and opinions you read there is a decision you’ll ultimately have to make for yourself.

  • Matt

    Is it true that California Natural was sold to the Proctor and Gamble company?????
    Do you think it will ruin the California Natural Product?????
    Many are worried about this.

  • Joy

    my dog has pancreatitis so food choice is very tricky. This food (the lamb & rice large kibble) has been a HUGE saving grace. He does great on this. The low fat & relatively low (in comparasion) protein seems to be the trick. He also has a gluten allergy so this helps that too. I highly recommend this one to someone with a sensitive mess like I have in a dog. Good stuff.

    I understand the company sold this brand, so time will tell if the recipe gets changed, but so far so good.

  • Matthew

    My dog loves this kibble topped with CN canned lamb and rice. He’s doin awesome on it!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Cory… Unfortunately, due to the biological uniqueness of each pet, I cannot provide customized reviews and product recommendations for each reader. For more help, please check out my reviews and visit our FAQ page. Look for the topic, “Help Me Choose a Dog Food”. Or check back for a possible response from one of our other readers.

  • Cory

    Hi Mike,

    This is my first time asking about any foods on here, but I have gotten some valuable information in the past for my Husky.

    My friend just got a Rottweiler puppy and they were told to give her Eukanuba because of it’s high nutrients and low calories. I told them not to use this food as it has awful reviews all over the web. I’ve been reading in forums, and I saw a really good review of Cali Natural Lamb and Rice. They said they don’t feed their rottie puppy foods because it makes them grow faster, and Rotts bones should grow slower to prevent issues with their joints later on in life.

    My question to you is, would you recommend this food for their rott puppy? Or is there another food with high nutrients and low calories you would suggest they use? I want them to enjoy their puppy for a long time, so any help is appreciated.

    Thank you in advance.

  • Solom Fay

    Cool mann you got this rated. my pit bull loves tis food. and she doin good on it!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Ryan… As long as your dog is considered by experts (English Bulldog breeders) as an adult, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t switch your dog to an adult recipe. In addition, I’m not a huge fan of breed-specific recipes. Most of the very best foods out there that work well for one breed probably work for all.

    I’m sure you’ll be able to find a 3, 4 or 5-star dog food that be nutritious for your dog.

    In any case, due to the biological uniqueness of each pet, I cannot provide customized reviews and product recommendations for each reader. For more help, please check out my reviews and visit our FAQ page. Look for the topic, “Help Me Choose a Dog Food”. Or check back for a possible response from one of our other readers.

  • Ryan

    Hi Mike,
    I have a nine month old English Bulldog…We are thinking about phasing him out of puppy food and into regular adult food. So I have two questions. (1) Do you think this is too soon (2) Would you recommend a California Natural product for this breed. We hear some many different things from owners/”experts”, we are just looking for something healthy for his skin, insides and weight. Thanks

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Kristin… I’m sorry to hear about your dog’s down pasterns. Unfortunately, due to the biological uniqueness of each pet, I cannot provide customized reviews and product comparisons for each reader. For more help, please check out my reviews and visit our FAQ page. Look for the topic, “Help Me Choose a Dog Food”. Or check back for a possible response from one of our other readers.

  • Kristin

    Hi,
    My 4 month old GSD puppy has downed pasterns and I’ve read that he should be on a lower protein (less that 23%) and lower calcium diet. which of your foods would you recommend for him? thanks!

  • Melissa

    Spencer-

    Unfortuently that email you received does not tell what the problem was, what the diagnosis was, or in fact if the food has anything to do with the dogs passing. I am not saying it didn’t, but the email lacks any definitive information to suggest that it does. I fed one of my dogs once a small piece of cooked steak-dog went into full blown pancreatitis and was hospitalized for 4 days-cost me a bundle. Should I then scream from the rooftop that steak nearly killed my dog? While it did, it was not as a result of “bad steak” but rather an underlying medical issue within the dog. Not fair to give meat a bad rap based on one dog’s issue. I would be interested in hearing why the owner feels this and what the dogs medical diagnosis was-ie poisoning versus individual dog reaction.

  • http://Cohentcsn@cox.net Spencer

    Here is part of an e-mail that I received yesterday from a VERY reliable person: “I know someone who lost her dog to CA Naturals recently – the sweet potato diet. She’s been fighting through all the testing and worry. Trying to do the right thing for her dog. It’s just sad”.
    P&G is all I am going to say, don’t ever trust this co.

    —–Original Message—–

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Karen… Unfortunately, since I’m not a veterinarian, I cannot provide specific health advice or product recommendations. Please see our FAQ page and our reviews for more information. Or check back for a possible response from one of our other readers. Wish I could be more help with your dog’s IBD.

  • Karen

    Mike,
    What would you recommend for a dog with Irritable Bowel Disease?

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