Rating: 
Diamond Naturals dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The Diamond Naturals product line includes 12 dry dog foods… seven designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and five for adult maintenance.
- Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Chicken and Rice
- Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal and Rice Lite (3 stars)
- Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Lamb and Rice
- Diamond Naturals Large Breed Lamb and Rice
- Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal and Rice Adult
- Diamond Naturals Beef Meal and Rice Adult
- Diamond Naturals Large Breed 60+ Adult
- Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice Adult
- Diamond Naturals Senior 8+ Formula
- Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy
- Diamond Naturals Small Breed Puppy
- Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Lamb and Rice Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Lamb and Rice
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Lamb, lamb meal, cracked pearled barley, ground rice, egg product, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), millet, dried plain beet pulp, potatoes, flaxseed, natural flavor, fish meal, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, L-Carnitine, yucca schidigera 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 ingredient in this dry dog food lists lamb. Although it is a quality item, raw lamb contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably occupy a lower position on the list.
Which brings us to lamb meal… the second and more likely the dominant meat ingredient in this dog food.
Lamb meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh lamb.
The third ingredient lists 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 fourth ingredient is ground rice. Without knowing whether this is a whole grain, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.
The fifth item lists dried egg product… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries… from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The sixth 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.
The seventh 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 eighth ingredient lists beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
The ninth ingredient is potato. Assuming they’re whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The tenth ingredient is flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flax seeds are rich in soluble fiber.
However, we find it unusual to see flaxseed here in its whole seed form. Whole flax seeds are almost impossible to digest (at least for us humans) unless they are first ground to a usable powder before they are consumed.
After the natural flavor, we find fish meal… another protein-rich meat concentrate.
We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item1 appears to be ethoxyquin-free.
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 have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, we find no evidence of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Next, chicory root is naturally rich in a substance called inulin… a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
Finally, this food does contain 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.
Diamond Naturals Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Diamond Naturals 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 28%, a fat level of 17% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 48%.
If we exclude the lower-rated Lite product, the brand features an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 18%.
Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate proportion of 45% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Above-average fat. And below carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
With no evidence of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a dry dog food containing a respectable amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Diamond Naturals is a grain-based dry dog food using a notable amount of chicken, beef or lamb meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a nice wet product from the same company may wish to check out our review of Diamond 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
01/05/2010 Original review
08/13/2010 Review updated
03/25/2011 Review updated (minor recipe change)
- Diamond Pet Foods Customer Service, 8/13/2010 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.
Pingback: Help. Can't make a choice. (Dog Food Related) - Basset Hounds: Basset Hound Dog Forums