Rating: 
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul dry dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul product line includes six dry dog foods… four meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance, one for growth (Large Breed Puppy) and one for all life stages (Puppy Formula).
- Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul Adult
- Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul Puppy
- Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul Senior
- Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul Large Breed Adult
- Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul Large Breed Puppy
- Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul Adult Light (3 stars)
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul Adult Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul Adult Formula
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, turkey meal, cracked pearled barley, whole grain brown rice, oatmeal, millet, white rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potatoes, egg product, tomato pomace, duck, salmon, ocean fish meal, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, kelp, carrots, peas, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flake, Yucca schidigera extract, l-Carnitine, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first two ingredients in this dog food are chicken and turkey. Raw poultry contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
So, to reflect their lighter after-cooking weights, these two items would probably occupy lower positions on the list.
Which brings us to chicken meal… the third and (most likely) the dominant meat ingredient in this dog food.
Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The fourth ingredient is turkey meal… another protein-rich poultry concentrate.
The fifth item includes 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 sixth item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The seventh ingredient is oatmeal… a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, fiber and is also (unlike many other grains) gluten-free.
The eighth ingredient is millet… gluten-free grains harvested from certain seed grasses. Millet is hypoallergenic and naturally rich in B-vitamins and fiber… as well as other essential minerals.
Once cooked, millet can be easily digested by a dog.
The ninth ingredient mentions white rice… a less nutritious form of rice in which the grain’s healthier outer layer has been removed.
The tenth 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. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
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 ocean fish meal… which may be considered yet another protein concentrate.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. The term “ocean fish” does little to adequately describe this ingredient. Due to the varying oil content of seafood, we would prefer to have known the actual species.
In any case, we are pleased to report that, unlike many other fish meals, this particular item appears1 to be ethoxyquin-free.
Next, the manufacturer 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.
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul appears to be an above-average dry dog food.
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 27%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 50%.
With its apparently lower protein and fat (a.k.a. meat) content, we have downgraded the Adult Light product to a lower category.
Omitting the lower rated Lite recipe, the remaining products feature an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 15%.
Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 49% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates… 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 an average amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of various poultry meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a nice wet food from the same company may wish to visit our review of Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul 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 a specific health benefit 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
03/06/2010 Original review
10/06/2010 Review updated (new recipe)
- Diamond Pet Customer Service via email, 7/7/2010 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.