Rating: 
Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural gets the Advisor’s highest rating of 5 stars.
The Earthborn Holistic product line lists five kibbles. But because of its unique higher quality formula, Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural is reviewed here in its own special report.
Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Turkey meal, chicken meal, whitefish meal, potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), dried egg product, tomato pomace, apples, blueberries, carrots, peas, spinach, garlic, Yucca schidigera extract, taurine, cottage cheese, l-lysine, dl-methionine, beta-carotene, calcium carbonate, zinc oxide, magnesium proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, niacin, d-calcium pantothenic acid, vitamin A supplement, l-carnitine, vitamin B12 supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), ferrous sulfate, biotin, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1), calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, manganese proteinate, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2.8%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first two items in this dog food are chicken meal and turkey meal. Chicken and turkey meals are considered meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh poultry.
The third ingredient includes whitefish meal… another high-protein meat concentrate. Whitefish is a freshwater species native to the northern United States and Canada.
Thankfully, unlike most fish meals, this particular item appears to be ethoxyquin-free.1
The fourth item lists potato. Assuming they’re cooked, potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The fifth 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. Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is a quality ingredient.
The sixth item details dried egg product, 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.
Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient, a by-product left after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content while others scorn it as a cheap pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
The list goes on to include a number of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables…
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Carrots
- Peas
- Spinach
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 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 used in small amounts (as it likely 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.
Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Grain-free and starting with three high-protein meat concentrates in a row, Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural looks like a quality 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 42%, a fat level of 22% and estimated carbohydrates of about 28%.
High protein. High fat. And low carbohydrates when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing an abundance of meat.
For those looking to mimic a dog’s natural ancestral diet, Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural at least begins to approach this noble goal.
Bottom line?
Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural is a meat-based kibble using a generous amount of named poultry and fish meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically 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
04/18/2010 Original review
11/18/2010 Review updated
01/07/2012 Review updated (no changes noted)
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.