Canine Caviar Grain Free (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★★½

Canine Caviar Grain Free Dog Food receives the Advisor’s above average rating of 4.5 stars.

The Canine Caviar Grain Free product line lists 5 dry dog foods, four claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and one for growth (Puppy).

The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.

  • Canine Caviar Open Sky Grain Free Dinner
  • Canine Caviar Wilderness Grain Free Dinner
  • Canine Caviar Wild Ocean Grain Free Dinner
  • Canine Caviar Free Range Buffalo Grain Free Dinner
  • Canine Caviar Chicken and Split Pea Grain Free Puppy Dinner

Canine Caviar Open Sky Grain Free Dinner was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Canine Caviar Grain Free Open Sky Dinner

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 32% | Fat = 16% | Carbs = 44%

Ingredients: Duck meal, chickpea, duck fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), menhaden oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), sun-cured alfalfa, Aspergillus niger fermentation culture, Aspergillus oryzae fermentation culture, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation culture, sun-cured kelp, fos (prebiotic), calcium proteinate, sodium chloride, lecithin, choline chloride, parsley, fenugreek, peppermint, taurine, selenium, whole clove garlic, vitamin E, zinc proteinate, vitamin C, papaya, rose hips, Yucca schidigera extract, niacin, beta-carotene, manganese proteinate, vitamin D3, biotin, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12, potassium proteinate, folic acid

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.6%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

The first ingredient in this dog food is duck meal. Duck meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh duck.

The second ingredient includes chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, bean and lentils, the chickpea is a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.

Even though chickpeas contain about 22% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The third ingredient lists duck fat. Duck fat is obtained from rendering duck, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Duck fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, duck fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The fourth item lists menhaden oil. Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. Their oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids, two high quality fats boasting the highest bio-availability to both dogs and humans.

What’s more, in their mid-depth habitat, menhaden are not exposed to mercury contamination as is typical with deeper water species.

The fifth ingredient is alfalfa, a flowering member of the pea family. Although alfalfa is more commonly associated with cattle feeds, it can still provide healthy nutrients to any dog food.

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 four notable exceptions…

First, this recipe contains fructooligosaccharide (or FOS), an alternative sweetener1 probably used here as a prebiotic. Prebiotics function to support the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine.

Next, garlic can be a controversial item. Although most experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.2

However, the limited professional literature we surveyed provided no definitive warnings regarding the use of garlic — especially when used in small amounts (as it likely is here).

Thirdly, the company appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.

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.

Canine Caviar Grain Free Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Canine Caviar Grain Free 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 32%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 44%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 32% and a mean fat level of 19%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 41% for the overall product line.

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbohydrates when compared to a typical dry dog food.

When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the chickpeas, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Canine Caviar Grain Free Dog Food is a meat-based kibble using a moderate amount of species-specific meat meals as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4.5 stars.

Highly recommended.

Those looking for a grain-based product from the same company may wish to visit our review of Canine Caviar dry 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

04/22/2010 Original review
11/21/2010 Review updated
01/19/2012 Review updated (new products, new recipes)

  1. Wikipedia definition ↩
  2. Yamato et al, Heinz Body hemolytic anemia with eccentrocytosis from ingestion of Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) and garlic (Allium sativum) in a dog, Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 41:68-73 (2005) ↩
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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  • Morgan Royse

    My extremely picky, allergy prone adopted 6-year-old Pomeranian (know nothing about his past) has made it very difficult for me to get him to eat. I have had him on the Venison Split Pea dinner for about 4 weeks. It was the only grain free Canine Caviar flavor that my pet store carried. I am trying this formula as part of a food trial. I have to say that while my dog is definitely not fond of the flavor, he seems to be itching less. I am going to keep him on this dog food for another month to give it a full two months. My pet store informed me that Canine Caviar is coming out with new flavors that are grain free by the end of December. I have just finally realized that my dog loves the flavor of fish and so I have been mixing grain free Wellness whitefish flavored wet food in with the venison to get him to eat. I am excited to hear that one of their new flavors is grain free Ocean whitefish! My vet has been trying to get me to put him on Royal Canin or Science Diet prescription hypo allergic dog food, but when I compared the ingredients they are almost identical to Canine Caviar using only one protein source (which makes it hypoallergenic) so why would I pay $40 for prescription dog food that has a 2.5 star rating when I could be feeding him higher quality, with simplier ingredients Canine Caviar at a cheaper price with a 5 star rating?

  • Alexandra

    Me too. I am looking forward to placing this into my rotation. My dogs have always done well on it. My mix loved the venison.

  • Jan (Mom to Cavs)

    Wow! I’ve always liked Canine Cavair (and I used to feed it), but these grain free formulas look awesome!! I might have to check into them soon. My dogs always did well on CC. What I like best about them is that you don’t have to transition to them slowly (or at least you didn’t used to have to do this). Thanks for giving a heads up!

  • Alexandra

    Mike S,
    Just wanted to let you know that Canine Caviar has expanded their grain free formulas. And changed their formulations, lower protein content is among the changes. The new formulas are to hit mid December. The new info is up on their web page.
    Thanks

  • Gordon

    Stephanie – You’re thanking Canine Caviar, right? Not this website. Anyway, if thanking the latter, just FYI, this is just an independent dog food rating website. Albeit, the best one there is. I just wish it was Australian, lol. This site has nothing to do with the making of dog foods.

  • Stephanie

    Thank you for making this food! I have 2 young labs and a 14 1/2 year old lab mix. One of my labs was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at 8 months old. He also has allergies. Between being in pain and surgeries and allergies, getting him to eat was a huge challenge. I tried a lot of (good) foods but his tummy was still upset and his (right) ear was still gunky. His right leg had atrophied and even with physical therapy he wasn’t getting any muscle back. I found the Venison and split pea and thought it couldn’t hurt. The first two meals he ate hesitantly (but he ate it all), the third meal he ate with enthusiam. By the fourth meal he was eating like a lab!
    He’s been on the Venison for 4 or 5 months. What a huge difference! He is building muscle in his right leg, no tummy trouble and his ear is totally clear! This food is worth every penny – even though he eats 4 cups a day I save money because he doesn’t need any of his allergy prescriptions anymore.
    I’m so glad you make this food, and so is Riley!

  • Michael

    Daniel is blowing smoke. He is simply trying to justify why he spends $90 a bag on Orijen when he can have a very high quality food for considerably less. My kids have been on Canine Caviar for a while now and are doing great. One gets working dog diet and the other a normal diet. They are both in excellent health and have tons of energy. I even recommended their low protein diet for my mom’s Maltese who has some sort of liver function issue. He too is doing extremely well and her vet is thrilled. Orijen is good food no doubt, but for Daniel to come in here and discount a high quality food simply simply because he thinks that is not on the same level as his overpriced selection is preposterous. Show us some proof or offer your experience with this food or jog on!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Daniel… Why should a recipe need to have multiple sources of protein to make it a good dog food? Or to be on “the same playing field” as other products in its category? Please cite the scientific study that would support this method for judging dog foods.

  • Ron

    Hello Daniel,

    Maybe their idea is to go with a single protein source which is helpful if one is trying or has a allergy that is causing problems.
    It says on its site that it is 34% which is a healthy amount, but
    I’m not sure how the split-pea may fit into the equation.
    I have never used this food or Orijen that I know of, so I have no bias. But if I was to try one I would have to consider
    the Canine Caviar, for the simple fact that it is a single protein and the biggest factor to me is that it has No white potato’s.
    I would think one could always had a canned meat or fresh meat product too it if it was necessary.

  • Daniel

    I would have to disagree with such a high and favorable review of this food. I would have liked to see a secondary meat source of protein, or two, following venison meal, particularly- Venison, and say salmon meal or any other named meat or meat meal. When thinking of adding reviewed foods into your highest category, one cannot forget about other deserving foods there in comparison. While the food should be reviewed objectively on its own merit, it should also be thought of in terms of some of the other, extremely high 5 star foods you have- such as Orijen and Acana. I do not work for them, but I do feed those foods and work in a retail store that carries many of these foods, and Canine Caviar’s bag make up is not in the vacinity of Orijen or it’s less expensive cousin- Acana. By giving them all a ranking of 5 stars, you whether you wanted to or not, are implying they are on a even playing field when they aren’t.

  • http://www.thedogmaonline.com Valerie Marshall

    Hi there,
    Just want you to know that the Beet Pulp used in Canien Caviar is not a sugar beet. It is a white beet that is used for digestion-prebiotics. This Beet is at the bottom of the glycemic index.
    Thanks!

  • Samantha

    Love love love this food. As momma to two Irish Setters, & more cats than I care to admit to, I am so lucky to have had this food recommended by my distributor (thedogmaonline.com). I had never heard of raw feeding & such high quality grain-free diets until our dog, Ethan, became so ill. Thanks to a Facebook rant (not knowing what to do because the vet’s only answer was to keep pushing pills), & two life-changing responses (thank you Dawn & Beth!), we got pointed in the right direction. We now feed this amazing kibble, along with raw food & the occasional supplement (such as coco therapy), to ALL our fur-kids. I am happy to report that, while Ethan is still somewhat under weight, he is on NO pills! And that makes me a HAPPY momma! Thank you for doing something that is sorely needed – rating pet foods based on FACTS! Keep up the good work!
    Sam~

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Carol… Here’s an article I wrote about a year ago. “Low Fat Dog Food… Good or Bad for Your Pet?” Our good friend (and the Advisor’s veterinary consultant), Dr. Donna Spector, is planning to write an article about pancreatitis sometime in the first half of 2011. We plan to include a list of some suggested low fat dog foods along with that post. Hope this helps.

  • Carol

    This food looks great but we cannot get it in Canada. When will you write about low fat food :)

  • jaimee

    We have a severely allergic boxer that had been on every natural diet and every prescription food. We tried this food on recommendation of a pet store owner because of the lack of grains and minimal ingrediants and it is amazing. It is pricey but no more than most prescriptions. We made the transition very drastically because we were out of her prescription food and she had no stomach irritation and she had no itching. We mix this food with Evengers rabbit which is something she has been on for years. I am thrilled with this food. This food lasts longer than the prescription as well because she eats less due to the protein. A great food for allergic dogs. Trust me we have tried them all and spent an absurd amount of money over the years trying foods. I highly recommend this food.

  • Deborah

    My dog is on a raw meat diet and We used to buy some of these ingredients seperately and combine them in a bowl for him with raw meat. We recently found this product and gave it a try. Combined with the Canine Cavier canned food and their kibble form we gave it to our dog and he loves it. He is so energetic and looks Great! We are very Happy with this Product and no more mixing ingredients for him, it’s already done for us!