California Natural Grain Free (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★★☆

California Natural Grain Free dry dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of 4 stars.

The California Natural Grain Free product line includes 5 dry dog foods, 4 claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance and one (Salmon) for all life stages.

  • California Natural Grain Free Lamb Meal Adult (3 stars)
  • California Natural Grain Free Salmon Meal Adult (4 stars)
  • California Natural Grain Free Venison Meal Adult (3 stars)
  • California Natural Grain Free Chicken Meal Adult (5 stars)
  • California Natural Grain Free Kangaroo and Red Lentils (3 stars)

California Natural Grain Free Lamb Meal Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

California Natural Grain Free Lamb Meal Adult

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

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

Ingredients: Lamb meal, peas, potatoes, sunflower oil (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols), pea fiber, natural flavors, potassium chloride, salt, taurine, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, calcium iodate), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, betaine hydrochloride, niacin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, riboflavin supplement, beta carotene, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid)

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%

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 fresh lamb.

The second ingredient includes peas. Peas are considered a quality source of carbohydrates. What’s more, peas contain about 25% protein… protein that must be counted toward the total protein content of this food.

The third ingredient is potato. Assuming they’re whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.

The fourth item lists sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3′s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.

Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.

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

The fifth ingredient is pea fiber, obtained from pea hulls. Pea hulls are naturally rich in both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.

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 note 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.

And lastly, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.

California Natural Grain Free Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredient quality alone, California Natural Grain Free Dog Food looks to be an above-average kibble.

But ingredient quality by itself doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s still important to estimate the amount of meat present here before determining a final rating.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 23%, a fat level of 12% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 57%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 12%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 52% 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 peas and pea fiber, this looks like a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.

However, if you exclude the higher-protein chicken (38%) and salmon (31%) recipes, the venison, lamb and kangaroo products appear to include only a modest amount animal protein.

Bottom line?

On average, California Natural Grain Free is a vegetable-based kibble using a moderate amount of named meats as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.

Highly recommended.

Those looking for a wet grain free product from the same company may want to check out our review of EVO 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 brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.

Notes and Updates

06/12/2010 Original review
01/12/2011 Review updated
01/30/2011 Review updated (no changes)
11/15/2011 Review updated, added Kangaroo and Salmon recipes

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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  • Shawna

    I just read an article written by Dr. Cusick that suggests dogs should not eat a raw food diet…  He just totally lost my respect right there…  I have no interest in anything else he might have to say after that..

  • Dog Food Expert Ann

    That’s pretty funny! I had 100% success with his recommendations. His recommendations are not bizarre or unusual so calling him a quack sounds like something a person would say who has no nutritional expertise. He basically recommends feeding holistically and naturally including feeding the correct ratio of protein/carb/fat. There is no quackery there. It is basic nutrition. Obviously those who say such things have no experience with large numbers of dogs and breeds to base their opinions on. Example, I found that while most dogs are allergic to wheat, the Australian breeds such as the Heeler and Border Collie thrive on it. When I corrected the diet of Pug Dogs to include only Barley and to increase fat/oil, their allergies totally went away, as well as their shedding, Demodex, and eye tearing. The Labs I work with completely stopp shedding on a fish/duck based diet as well as losing their hyperactivity and regaining their focus and obedience. I can’t count the number of Huskies and Malamutes that lost weight, lost their cranky attitudes and regained energy/vitality based on his recommendations. All I can say is that someone who dismisses his work as quackery must be a troll and is probably someone who has not even ordered a book. I work in the Pet food industry seeing thousands of dogs a month and receiving hundreds of thank yous from people who claim I saved their dog’s life with the simple recommendation that they follow Dr. Cusick’s advise. I will never stop being a fan of his. By sheer volume, I think my opinion is a little more reliable than a person who libels someone and then doesn’t give the reason why we should believe them. :) All I can say is it is their loss, as you probably already know. For those who take head, God bless them for enriching their pet’s life no matter what the nasayers claim. 

  • Mike P

    Expert Ann.I told people on his site about Cusick and pretty much all the people agreed he is a Quack.

  • Shawna

    Julie Santos ~~ Your vet needs to review the newer research.  They now know that senior dogs actually need MORE protein not less.  They are generally not as efficient at digesting — hence the need for added protein.  This is scientifically proven.  Even dogs with kidney disease are no longer recommended to be on a “low” protein diet but rather on a moderate protein but high quality diet.  So no vegetable protein (pea, potato, soybean etc), no by-products etc.

    It kinda bumbs me out that vets aren’t required to do continuing education.  Or, if they are, they aren’t taught the new scientifically proven data like the low protein myth.

  • Shawna

    Dog Food Expert Ann ~~ if you have an older breed that hasn’t been manipulated with other breeds to make a new breed, this could work.  But, if you have a newer breed or a mixed breed this is at best  hit and miss information.

    I take this from my own experience.  I am part Cherokee.  Native Americans are supposedly more sensitive to developing dairy allergies then some other groups.  I, by the way, am allergic to the casein protein in dairy (both cow and goat but can have sheep dairy).  Toxed2Loss is also Cherokee (and has a stronger Cherokee heritage then I) yet she has no issues with dairy at all.  Richard, whom I don’t believe is Native American, is also allergic to dairy..

    I do think, and have mentioned here before, that there is some relevance but that there are just too many factors to make breed specific dieting of little use for most dogs and dog owners.

    I’m also curious, after reading some of your posts, about your thoughts on grain versus grain free diets?  I feel grain free is a better options as manufactures (most) no longer prepare grains in a manner to deactivate the phytates and enzyme inhibitors as well as make the proteins (specifically lectins and gliadin) easier to digest (and less allergenic/problematic).

  • Dog Food Expert Ann

    As Melissa said, allergies are usually the result of grain type, not protein. Protein type has more to do with muscle mass, weight gain/loss. To resolve your confusion, please do as I have advised others, look up your breed of dog at this web site to determine which meat type your dogs needs before you even start looking at brands. While California Natural may be an excellent food, it doesn’t matter if your dog requires venison, and CN doesn’t carry that meat type. When you figure out what meat type your dog needs, you will have no problem finding a food that satisfies the protein level needed. http://www.wdcusick.com/free.html. Nutrition is so extremely complicated that not even vets get the right kind of education in veterinary school. They focus on clinical nutrition (fixing the problems, not preventing them.) Look up any Veterinary University website curriculum and you will not see any nutritional courses. At most they get a seminar/sales pitch from the one or two food companies that make disease specific diets. I pray this changes in the near future, and I suspect it will as judging by the large pet food conglomerations that are buying out small holistic companies like Naturapet (Calif Natural.)

  • Bob K

    Dog Food Expert Ann – What a great plug, buy my book and spend $100.00 for some dog food analysis thats 20+ years old.  Sounds like the  gumball machine that you put in a quarter and get your fortune. Where does it lists the Drs. credentials?  Is he still alive?  There are few recognized studies that are breed specific.  

  • Bob K

    Dog Food Expert Ann – Get Real – This guy if he is still alive is just plugging his  books and his $100.00 analysis for you.  I wonder if the Dr. is still alive.  It almost appears to be a bit of a scam. 

  • Dog Food Expert Ann

    Great idea to resolve protein levels by mixing brands of foods. Just make sure you are mixing brands with the same grain type. As you probably know, duck (usually fed to hunting dogs), is the highest in fat, with meats like Venison being lowest in fat. My favorite website for learning exactly which protein and grain type to feed each breed of rescue I deal with is  http://www.wdcusick.com/free.html. Dr. Cusick spent 20 years of his life performing scientific research on all AKC breeds to arrive at his conclusions. A person can’t go too wrong with such diligent work like that (blood, fecal and urinalysis.) As you can tell, I am a big fan of this gentleman because his advise has saved me thousands, if not more, in veterinary bills for my rescue group. 

  • Dog Food Expert Ann

    Mike P – Mixing has everything to do with what breed of dog you own and nothing to do with standard smart practice. The only reason you mix dog foods is to obtain two meat types (not grain types) because your breed of dog requires it. To know this, you must consult a website specializing in ingredients, not brands. There is only one I know of to date. I have followed the advice at this site on numerous breeds (rescue) and have solved 95% of the problems from seizures to shedding. Visit http://www.wdcusick.com/free.html for a directory of all AKC breeds. For example, several Asian originated breeds have been historically fed horse meat. To obtain the same meat profile as this requires mixing Beef and Pork together. The author at this website spent 20 years doing blood, fecal and urinalysis to obtain scientific evidence of the enormous nutritional differences between the breeds, hence the diverse medical issues common to certain breeds. To get the whole picture on food quality, don’t forget to visit the Cusick home page. This scientist also provides custom recipes if you have a sick dog and you don’t want to go with horrifically low quality Veterinary brands of food.

  • Dog Food Expert Ann

    WOW, does this statement from P&G sound like world domination or what? (quote from TruthAboutPetFood.com) This move [to buy out Naturapet] enables P&G to expand into the attractive “holistic and naturals” segment of the pet food category, complementing P&G’s current Iams and Eukanuba brands and helping the Company advance its overall growth strategy of “reaching more consumers in more parts of the world more completely.”  New Dog World Order!

  • sandy

    While the grain free chicken meal rates 5 stars, I would chose a non limited ingredient diet to feed her if she does not require one – like Amicus. http://www.amicuspetfood.com/

  • sharron

    hi

    i just started feeding lexee california natural chicken grain free adult dog food – she is a 3 yr old yorkie/chihuahua, and prone to weight gain – she is currently at 9 lbs. 
    Is this a decent food to be feeding her.
    thanks
    sharron

  • melissa

    Muldypup-

    I used the Cal natural pre buyout and never had issues. I rotated back to it a few months ago, and after a few bags, had diarrhea and vomiting in the dogs.Some of my dogs are fat sensitive, but since the fat content on the bag was around 11-12 percent, it was not the issue-so not sure what the problem was this time.

  • Anonymous

    Just out of curiosity, is anyone still regularly using the Cal Nat lines? I used the product pre-buyout a few times, but haven’t been as up on how things are going with kibble since switching my adult dogs to raw.

    I’ve got a new pup now that I’ve started on a mixture of Honest Kitchen/Raw, but he’s not taking to it as well as I would have hoped. I’m thinking about putting him on a good kibble until he’s a few months older.

    ToTW is first on my list, but I noticed the Salmon GF version of this is supposedly adequate for large breed pups (GSD), and has just a hair more protein. 
    Curious on how people feel about this new line.

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