Rating: 
Eukanuba Naturally Wild Dog Food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of 3.5 stars.
The Eukanuba Naturally Wild product line includes 7 kibbles.
Although each product name does identify a specific life stage, we found no AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these products on the Eukanuba website.
- Eukanuba Naturally Wild Lg Breed Puppy North Atlantic Salmon
- Eukanuba Naturally Wild Lg Breed Adult North Atlantic Salmon
- Eukanuba Naturally Wild Lg Breed Adult New Zealand Venison
- Eukanuba Naturally Wild Puppy Growth North Atlantic Salmon
- Eukanuba Naturally Wild Adult Country Grown Turkey
- Eukanuba Naturally Wild Adult North Atlantic Salmon
- Eukanuba Naturally Wild Adult New Zealand Venison
Eukanuba Naturally Wild Country Grown Turkey and Multigrain Dog Food was chosen to represent the others in the line for this review.
Eukanuba Naturally Wild Turkey and Multigrain Formula
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Turkey, brewers rice, ground whole grain sorghum, potato, ground whole grain barley, chicken meal, fish meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), dried egg product, dried beet pulp, natural flavor, fish oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), brewers dried yeast, potassium chloride, salt, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, vitamin A acetate, calcium pantothenate, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), niacin, riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), inositol, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), sodium hexametaphosphate, choline chloride, Fructooligosaccharides, minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, potassium iodide, cobalt carbonate), dicalcium phosphate, dl-methionine, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 11.1%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food lists turkey. Although it is a quality item, raw turkey 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 account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
Which brings us to brewers rice, the second and (more likely) the dominant ingredient in this dog food. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice.
This is a cheap cereal grain by-product and not a quality ingredient.
The third ingredient is sorghum. Sorghum (milo) is a starchy cereal grain with a nutrient profile similar to corn.
Since it is gluten-free and boasts a smoother blood sugar behavior than other grains, sorghum may be considered an acceptable non-meat ingredient.
The fourth ingredient is potato. Assuming they’re whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The fifth 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. This is a quality grain ingredient.
The sixth ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
Fish meal is another high-protein meat concentrate.
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.
The eighth 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 ninth item lists 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.
After chicken flavor, we find 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.
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, this recipe contains fructooligosaccharide, an alternative sweetener1 probably used here as a prebiotic. Prebiotics function to support the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine.
Next, 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.
And lastly, we note the inclusion of sodium hexametaphosphate, a man-made industrial polymer with no known nutritive value.
HMP is used in making soap, detergents, water treatment, metal finishing and most likely here to decrease tartar build-up on the teeth.
Although some might disagree, we’re of the opinion that food is not the place for tartar control chemicals or any other non-nutritive substances.
Eukanuba Naturally Wild Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Eukanuba Naturally Wild dog food looks to be an average kibble.
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 26%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 51%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 49% for the overall product line.
Moderate protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this is the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Eukanuba Naturally Wild Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of turkey, venison or salmon as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 3.5 stars.
Recommended.
Those looking for a comparable kibble from the same company may want to check out our review of Eukanuba Natural 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 brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Other spellings: Eukenuba, Eucanuba
Notes and Updates
11/13/2009 Original review
06/11/2010 Review updated
11/04/2011 Review updated, added 4 new recipes
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.