Rating: 
Dog Lovers Gold Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The Dog Lovers Gold product line includes just one kibble… which meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
Dog Lovers Gold
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Lamb meal, brown rice, chicken meal, chicken fat (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols), flaxseed, whole dried eggs, chicken liver meal, fish oil, brewers dried yeast, kelp, garlic, lecithin potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, inulin, ascorbic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, choline chloride, folicacid, d-biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, sodium selenite, freeze dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation, Aspergillus niger fermentation, Bacillus subtilis, mixed tocopherols, silica dioxide, freeze dried Enterococcus faecium, iron amino acid chelate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, cobalt carbonate, zinc amino acid chelate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, beta carotene, Yucca schidigera extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 25% | 16% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 28% | 18% | 46% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 24% | 37% | 40% |
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 item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The third ingredient lists chicken meal. Chicken meal is another protein-rich meat concentrate.
The fourth ingredient is 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 fifth ingredient is flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
The sixth item includes whole dried eggs… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary greatly. 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 seventh ingredient is chicken liver meal… a dried, nutritious product made from whole chicken livers. Because it contains about 62% protein and 20% fat, this item makes a welcome addition to this dog food.
The eighth ingredient includes fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids… and (depending on the level of its purity) should be considered a healthy addition.
The ninth item is brewers dried yeast. Brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient contains about 45% protein… and is rich in other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
What’s more, a vocal minority insist yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, yeast can be considered a nutritious additive.
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, garlic can be a controversial item. Although the majority of experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.1
However, none of the professional literature we surveyed provided any conclusive warnings regarding the use of garlic… especially in small amounts (as it is here).
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.
Dog Lovers Gold… the Bottom Line
Frankly, we’d never heard of Dog Lovers Gold before. Yet we’re sure once the secret’s out, this dog food could be a real hit.
With its multiple sources of animal protein and a lack of any critical Red Flag items, Dog Lovers Gold looks to be made with quality ingredients.
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 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 46%.
Average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Dog Lovers Gold is a rice-based kibble using a moderate amount of lamb and chicken meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
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
05/17/2010 Original review
12/17/2010 Review updated
12/17/2010 Last Update
- 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) ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.