Rating: 
Enhance Dog Food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
The Enhance Dog Food product line lists seven kibbles. Since we could not locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these products on the Enhance website, we’re unable to report life stage recommendations.
- Enhance Puppy Formula
- Enhance Professional Athlete
- Enhance Hunter’s Edge Basic
- Enhance Professional Endurance
- Enhance Hunter’s Edge Premium
- Enhance Adult Maintenance Basics
- Enhance Adult Maintenance Premium
Enhance Professional Endurance Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Enhance Professional Endurance
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice, poultry fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), brewers rice, dried beet pulp, rice bran, menhaden fish oil, flaxseed, fish meal, salt, potassium chloride, natural flavor, calcium carbonate, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, zinc oxide, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, niacin, biotin, d-calcium pantothenate, sodium selenite, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), vitamin D3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), ethylenediamine dihydroiodide (source of iodine), folic acid, cobalt carbonate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.9%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
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 is poultry fat. Poultry fat is obtained from rendering… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Poultry fat is high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. However, we would have preferred a single-species item (like chicken fat).
The fourth ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice.
This is an inexpensive cereal grain by-product and not considered a quality ingredient.
The fifth ingredient is dried 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 sixth ingredient lists rice bran… a healthy by-product of rice milling. Though not as nutritionally complete as whole grain rice, brans are still unusually rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.
The seventh ingredient is menhaden oil… obtained from processing a species of small ocean fish known as menhaden. Like most fish oils, menhaden oil is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This item can be considered a healthy addition.
The eighth 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 ninth ingredient includes fish meal. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. Because various fish contain different types of fats, we would have preferred to have known the source species.
Fish meal is commonly made from the by-products of commercial fish operations.
What’s more, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative in fish meals.
But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, the chemical does not have to be reported to consumers.
We find no public assurances from the company this product is ethoxyquin-free.
Without knowing more, and based upon this fish meal’s location on the list of ingredients, we would expect to find only a trace of ethoxyquin in this 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 three notable exceptions…
First, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Next, this dog 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.
And lastly, this Enhance food product also contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
Enhance Dog Food… the Bottom Line
Though not in any way exceptional, the ingredients used to make Enhance Dog Food are certainly better quality than those cheaply made, one and two-star grocery-store brands.
But how much meat-based protein do these dog foods most likely contain?
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 30%, a fat level of 19% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 43%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 30% and a mean fat level of 19%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 43% for the overall product line.
Near-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-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 notable amount of meat.
However, it’s unfortunate the company chose to include menadione in its recipes. Without this controversial supplement and omitting the brewers rice, we would have been compelled to award this brand a higher rating.
Bottom line?
Enhance Dog Food is a rice-based kibble using a notable amount of named meat and by-product meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.
Recommended.
Those looking for a higher-grade kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of VF Complete 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
05/23/2010 Original review
12/23/2010 Review updated (recipe change)
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.