Rating: 
Dave’s 95% Premium dog food earns the Advisor’s highest rating of 5 stars.
The Dave’s 95% Premium product line includes three canned dog foods, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review:
- Dave’s 95% Premium Beef
- Dave’s 95% Premium Turkey
- Dave’s 95% Premium Chicken
Dave’s 95% Premium Chicken dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Dave's 95% Premium Chicken
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth, guar gum, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), thiamin mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, vitamin D2 supplement), minerals (zinc sulfate, iron sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, selenium yeast and potassium iodide)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 11% | 6% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 50% | 27% | 15% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 38% | 51% | 11% |
The first item in this dog food lists chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The third item is guar gum, a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.
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, this recipe also contains selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.
And lastly, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
Dave’s 95% Premium Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Dave’s 95% Premium Dog Food looks like an above-average product.
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 50%, a fat level of 27% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 15%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 50% and a mean fat level of 27%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 15% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 55%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet food containing an abundance of meat.
Bottom line?
Dave’s 95% Premium is a meat-based canned dog food using an abundance of beef or poultry as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Shoppers looking for a more traditional wet food from the same company may wish to visit our review of Dave’s Delectable Dinners.
Special Alert
Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.
A Final Word
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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 analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.
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Notes and Updates
05/21/2010 Original review
12/21/2010 Review updated
09/16/2012 Last Update
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
