Evanger’s Dog Food (Dry)

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Rating: ★★★★☆

See FDA Warning Letter

Evanger’s dry dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.

The Evanger’s product line includes three dry dog foods… each designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.

  • Evanger’s Chicken with Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
  • Evanger’s Pheasant and Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
  • Evanger’s Whitefish and Sweet Potato Dry Dog Food

Evanger’s Chicken with Brown Rice dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Evangers Chicken with Brown Rice

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 29% | Fat = 17% | Carbs = 46%

Ingredients: Chicken, ground brown rice, chicken meal, potato product, pearled barley, chicken fat (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols (vitamin E), carrot, celery, beet, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, oat meal, catfish meal, brewers dried yeast, natural chicken flavor, flax seed meal, egg product, monosodium phosphate, d/l methionine, lecithin, fish oil, l-lysine, salt, kelp meal, potassium chloride, natural yucca schidigera extract, vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid, biotin, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, citric acid, vitamin D2 supplement, folic acid, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis26%15%NA
Dry Matter Basis29%17%46%
Calorie Weighted Basis25%35%40%

The first ingredient in this dog food includes chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken 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 brown rice… the second and (most likely) the dominant ingredient in this dog food. Brown rice is a quality grain… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.

The third ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The fourth item lists potato product… a by-product of the potato processing industry containing about 71% carbohydrates.1

The fifth ingredient is barley… 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 sixth item includes 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 next seven items include a series of nutrient-rich vegetables

  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Beets
  • Parsley
  • Lettuce
  • Watercress
  • Spinach

Catfish meal is another protein-rich meat concentrate.

In this case, we are pleased to note that, unlike many other fish meals, this particular item appears2 to be ethoxyquin-free.

Brewers dried 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, we feel yeast should be considered a nutritious addition.

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 two notable exceptions

First, this dog food contains chelated mineralsminerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are generally found in better dog foods.

And lastly, the company 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.

Evanger’s Dry Dog Food… the Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Evanger’s Dry Dog Food appears to be a quality 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 29%, a fat level of 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 46%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 30% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 47% for the overall product line.

Near-average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.

With no sign of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing an average amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Evanger’s dry dog food is a plant-based kibble using a moderate amount of poultry or fish meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.

Highly recommended.

Those looking for a nice wet food to go with this kibble may wish to visit our review of Evanger’s Classic Dinners 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 a specific health benefit 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

03/08/2010 Original review
10/08/2010 Review updated
10/08/2010 Last Update

  1. Premier AG Resources, 3/8/2010
  2. Evanger’s Customer Service, 10/8/2010
Dog Food Advisor IconThe Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.


  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    You might like the Paleo Diet: lean meats/seafood (organic, pasture raised if possible), fruits and veggies, no grains, no legumes, no processsed foods and no dairy.

  • Jewelled Rose

    Just saying but i have seen no one mention the big problems with this brand. They have been proven to lie and mislead consumers about what ingredients are actually used in these products…what if there were stuff in it that wasnt so good for our fur babies in order to keep costs down….i prefer to make my own…or go organic..definitely do your research before you committ to a brand its not only the list of ingredients to be concerned with…..for me if meat is used i want to know how those animals were farmed and killed…..and i dont want scrap parta to be ground up and fed to my fur babies….people often buy what they can afford…what ever is easy…what ever brand is well known amd what looks better on the packaging to them and what brand that is available at the store…..and lastly you even in your own life dont need to suffer on a diet or only be a grazer (salad eater) to be healthy…..quality meats…get rid of bologna and hot dogs from your food intake…..get rid of boxed items and try not to eat too many things with artificial flavoring or preservatives….the fresjer the ingreints in your food that you make yourself and family …… the healthier you will become…think about it….start making simple changes that believe it or not do not cost anymore than going out to eat or junk food…..

  • Debfromlodi

    My dogs love Evangers wet and dry food. My daughter just changed her dogs over too. Brett Sher is a nice person, he has returned phone calls to us when we had questions. He is very helpful and I am happy I have switched my dogs from TOTW to Evanger’s.  I love the selection of wet food and my dogs really love the dry fish formula. 

  • Kari

    Hi –sorry just saw your reply–actually Trevor always has had issues since I put him on the better food–no issues when he was on Purina Pro Plan believe it or not– I always transition slowly–hes been tested for all kinds of parasites–the dr just thinks he may be one with a nervous system.  I have tried Rice, yogurt you name it.  The dr now has him on Tylan to see if that helps..I wonder if he is allergic to the yeast in the Evangers

  • Bob K

    kari – Has the black lab always had problems?  Have any foods worked for the Black Lab?  Step # 1 is a complete fecal test for parasites including: Giardia, Coccidia and Crypto.  What else is he eating?  Sticks, Rocks, dirt, Lake water, People food etc…..?  Have you tried any other foods?  Remember to transition slowly to a new food.   Ever try a little pumpkin or Yogurt?

  • kari

    I have been using Evangers Chix/Rice for a couple years now–my one black lab has diarreah a lot- my other labs are fine w/ it.  They all get 2 to 2.5 cups a day along w/1/4 cup Evangers canned–coats look awesome but the loose bowels concerns me  Vet tried to push the Science Diet perscription food..not only EXTREMELY expensive…its not rated very well on DFA

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Josiephan,

    Thanks for the tip. Evanger’s actually has now introduced both regular as well as grain-free kibbles. Both are on my To Do list for review. But due to my current backlog (and some additional help sometime after the first part of 2012), it could be a while before I get to that product line.

    Thanks again for the reminder.

  • Josiephan

    Evanger’s now has a grain-free dry kibble. I hope to see a review for it soon. Thanks!

  • Brad Stanley

    Nikki I agree with your suspicions that these posts have been taken over by Evanger’s competitors. For a customer service rep to have good grammar and then a response of that of the next one doesn’t make sense. The grammar fits of one that Ed Smith posted. I’m no detective but the name or Ed Smith sounds a little fishy too.
    I actually called the company and they very nice, helpful and knowledgeable. I told them that I would write this post after speaking with them. BTW, my dogs love Evanger’s, do well on it and no I do not work for them.

  • Gordon

    Nikki – There are plenty of customer service reps or even bosses/owners who’s grammar could be improved. I read it all the time and it’s more common than you think!

  • Gordon

    Paco’s Mommy – Ahuh, how bout being told to f*** o** in a phone call to a dog food owner? Not this food, but another. It happens a lot.

  • Paco’s Mommy

    Wow, I was going to buy the Whitefish & Sweet Potato Formula dry food as I received a sample and my dog really liked it. But, what is up with the owners response “Your a loser and you Mom must be proud of you.”? Aside from the grammatical errors, who writes that to a customer? Especially on a internet site? Has he apologized? It really makes me think twice if this is how a manufactuer treats his/her customers . . .

  • Nikki

    I’m currently feeding my dog Evanger’s Pheasant and Brown Rice, together with TOTW and a spoonful of Merrick’s Turducken. Even before I added the TOTW and Merrick’s, she was doing great on Evanger’s. She passed stool less often, and they wouldn’t be very smelly. The consistency was also good. Before, when I had her on Wellness, she pooped ALL THE TIME — Not to mention she turned her nose up at it no matter what I did. This is very good food, in my opinion, especially paired with TOTW.

    @Ed Smith: I don’t know whether to believe that you are honest and haven’t forged those emails, or to completely disregard your post. That a person hired as a customer service representative would have such poor grammar, or would say anything so insulting as they could be fired instantly, just strikes me as odd. They also have the same writing style and there’s too similar of a voice to your own in the two emails. If you could provide proof, that would be another story…

  • Gordon

    That was meant to state, “Oh, did you KNOW….”

  • Gordon

    Oh, did you Artemis’s canned products are made by Evanger’s. Their kibbles are by Diamond Pet but not their canned.

  • Gordon

    “I hear we’re you’re coming from.”….That was meant to write “where” instead of “we’re”. Perhaps I should work on my on grammar, lol.

  • Gordon

    Huh, I know how you feel Ed Smith. When the going gets tough for those that answer customer inquiries, they’ll end up resorting to counter ridiculing to an even lower standard than your heart felt concerned and inquisitive questioning.

    This is all too often the case and is representative of those placed to represent their companies, of how a lack of true professional customer servicing is the blatant case.

    For example, instead of replying to you stating, “Your a loser and you mom must be proud of you.”, I would have made sure that my grammar firstly was above board, i.e. “You’re” instead of “Your”, and an appropriate kind of reply would have been something like……”OK, Mr. Smith, I hear we’re you’re coming from. I am sorry that you’re obviously feeling wrongly done by, and I want to assure you that we at Evangers will strive to set things straight and on the level. Every business has fallacies, and we will and do intend to rectify ours and place emphasis on integrity as well as quality in our ongoing production line. Bear with us, stay tuned, and we sincerely do and want to result in your and all our customers ultimate satisfaction”

    But then many of these reps are not properly trained in appropriate public relations which is a big hole and under investment of a long term vision for winning customer confidence.

    When an owner, director, and educated Vet doesn’t know how to handle customer concerns, who is clearly not a ‘people person’, it’s not surprising that it is an unfortunate fact that many companies simply do not invest in proper professional customer handling.

  • Ed Smith

    See what you think of Evanger’s final reply to my email…

    Dear Evanger,

    Im sorry to inform that your replies to the FDA findings dont make sense to me, so I will have to stop buying your food. You keep claiming all is safe, but thats not the problem…the problem is you not using the ingredients you claim. the DNA test result is supposed to show ingredients? There could be one drop of duck blood in that can and it would show positive for duck DNA, and what abouth the LAMB??? Independently test and post result of the PERCENTAGE of DUCK or LAMB contents…I bet you dont… Regards, Ed Smith

    —————————————–

    Mr.Smith, There was duck in the duck and chicken formula and lamb in the lamb product we manufactured. You may call the lab the specializes in DNA testing since they have more knowledge in this area than myself if you care to. DNA is qualitative not quantitative so either you have the DNA or you don’t. I already wrote my congressman about this instance and now they are involved.

    Sincerely, Brett Sher

    Evanger’s Pet Food

    847-537-0102

    ———————————————

    Very strange reply. Gee, ok, since you say so…”duck in duck, chicken in chicken, lamb in lamb”. Wow that really put my mind at ease. And to tell your customers to “call the lab”??? It’s not my job to “call the lab” so to put customers mind at ease about your products, it’s YOUR job to do that. The FDA didnt find ANY ingredients you claim. How do we know you didnt correct the ingredients AFTER you were caught by the FDA??? And I understand that the FDA does NOT use DNA to test, they use actual quantitive analysis, just like you could and should do, but wont because I think you know what the results would be. And I also contacted my Congresswomen about Evanger’s Pet Food faking ingredients and commiting massive fraud on the public and they replied that there is a current investigation of your company ongoing at this time, so yes, they are involved… Thanks, Ed Smith

    ——————————-

    Your a loser and you mom must be proud of you.

    Brett Sher

    Evanger’s Pet Food

    847-537-0102

    ——————————————

    I will be sure to post Evanger’s reply on as many discussion boards as possible, along with… twitter, facebook, myspace, etc.. Very professional… Regards, Ed Smith

  • http://cohentcsn@cox.net Spencer

    Here is the letter from the FDA:

    * Home
    * FDA Warning Letter to Evanger’s Pet Food Company

    FDA Warning Letter to Evanger’s Pet Food Company

    * Written By: Susan Thixton
    * 5-18-2011
    * Categorized in: Pet Food Ingredients, Pet Food News

    Evangers Pet Food has received a warning letter from the FDA citing violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. FDA testing found a lamb dog food did not contain lamb and a grain free duck pet food did not contain duck.

    The FDA Warning Letter to Evangers…

    May 5, 2011
    Warning Letter
    CHI-12-10

    Ms. Holly N. Sher, President
    Mr. Joel A. Sher, Vice President
    Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Company, Inc.
    221 Wheeling Road
    Wheeling, Illinois 60090

    Dear Mr. and Ms. Sher:

    From December 2, 2010 through February 10, 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted an inspection of your low-acid canned food manufacturing facility located at 221 Wheeling Road, Wheeling, Illinois. In addition, on August 19, 2010, FDA received samples of (b)(4) Lamb and Rice Dog Food from the distributor, (b)(4). This letter notifies you of the violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act) that we found during our inspection and from the samples we received from the distributor. You can find the FD&C Act and its associated regulations on the Internet through links on FDA’s web page at http://www.fda.gov1.

    We found that you offered for sale (b)(4) Lamb and Rice Dog Food which was adulterated. Under Section 402(b)(2) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 342(b)(2), a food is deemed to be adulterated if any substance has been substituted wholly or in part therefore. Our analytical sample results of this product revealed that a substance (lamb) was not detected in the product and another ingredient (bovine material) detected in the product was substituted therefore. Furthermore, this product was misbranded. Under Section 403(b) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 343(b), a food is deemed to be misbranded if it is offered for sale under the name of another food. This product was offered for sale under the name of “(b)(4) Lamb and Rice Dog Food.” However, the analytical sample results did not detect the presence of lamb, but detected the presence of bovine material.

    On December 14, 2010, FDA collected samples of your Evanger’s Grain-free Duck Pet Food during the inspection of your facility. We found that the Evanger’s Grain-free Duck Pet Food product was adulterated. Under Section 402(b)(1) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 342(b)(1), a food is deemed to be adulterated if any valuable constituent has been in whole or in part omitted or abstracted therefrom. Our investigation revealed that a valuable constituent (duck) was not detected in the product and had been omitted or abstracted therefrom. Furthermore, this product was misbranded. Under Section 403(a)(1) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 343(a)(1), a food is deemed to be misbranded if its labeling is false or misleading in any particular. The labeling indicates that Evanger’s Grain-free Duck Pet Food contains duck, but the analytical sample results did not detect the presence of duck in the product.

    In addition, your firm was not able to provide processing and production records upon written demand, as required by 21 C.F.R. 108.35(h), for products manufactured in 2009.

    The above is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of violations. As a processor of animal food, you are responsible for ensuring that your overall operation and the food you distribute are in compliance with the law. You should take prompt action to correct the violations described in this letter and to establish procedures to ensure that these violations do not recur. Failure to do so may result in regulatory action without further notice such as seizure and/or injunction.

    You should notify this office in writing of the steps you have taken to bring your firm into compliance with the law within fifteen (15) working days of receiving this letter. Your response should include each step that has been taken or will be taken to correct the violations and prevent their recurrence. If corrective action cannot be completed within fifteen (15) working days of receiving this letter, state the reason for the delay and the time frame within which the corrections will be completed. Please include copies of any available documentation demonstrating that corrections have been made.

    Your written response should be sent to Rosemary Sexton, Compliance Officer, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 550 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 15, Chicago, Illinois 60661. If you have any questions about this letter, please contact Compliance Officer Rosemary Sexton at 312-596-4225.

    Sincerely,

    /S/

    Scott J. MacIntire
    District Director

    Source: http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm255000.htm

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Sarah… My research confirms the issuance of this official FDA warning letter. I’ve now placed an alert link at the top of each Evanger’s review posted on my website. Thanks for taking the time to share this important news with us.

  • Sarah

    I was just sent this information from a friend. I find it disturbing that Evanger’s has had so many problems and I think many dog owners will want to take this into consideration before deciding to feed Evanger’s products to their pets.

    http://efoodalert.wordpress.com/2011/05/17/evangers-back-in-hot-water-with-fda/

  • Christy

    Any chance you can do a review of the Pheasant & Brown Rice recipe? Just really wondering how the ingredients look in this one. Thanks in advance!

  • Melanie A.

    I love this brand of dry food. I use the Pheasant & Brown Rice for my Shih Tzu, and pour the Evanger’s grain-free Signature Series stews over the top of the kibble. I vary the flavor of canned foods, but keep the dry constant. In addition to the nutritional benefits in the Pheasant and Brown Rice, I like the size of the kibble. It is very small so my shih tzu does not have a difficult time chewing, as I’ve seen with larger kibbles I’ve tried like Orijen. Thanks for the evaluation – great food!

  • Linda

    Just came across your website and was thrilled to see the 5 star rating for Evanger’s since that’s the brand I feed my dogs. The gas thing going on sounds like a disgruntled employee who must have gotten fired to start all this. Seriously doubt this allegation is true and hard to believe a company’s gas bill would be 2 million in 2+ yrs?? And I have been feeding my dogs Evanger’s for about 5 years and my dogs love the food and the nutritional quality of the food is superior. Definitely deserves the 5 star rating. Besides, this claim sounds too far-fetched and here is a comment from a reader regarding the article:
    Jay on March 24, 2010 4:36 PM
    Do you really think the Sher’s would know how to do such a thing? I would check out the ex-employee who turned them in, he knew all the details, of course he never disclosed the information until he and his wife were fired for stealing.

  • Dona

    Thank you for quick response. You answer was what I needed, I appreciate your help.

    Dona

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Dona… Like you, we’re not sure what to make of the company owner’s legal and ethical issues either. In any case, we try to stick to the only information we feel we can reliably trust: government-regulated pet food labels. And from a label reading standpoint, this product does appear to be a very good dog food.

  • Dona

    I was just at the pet store and the owner recommended this dog food. One of my four dog. a Brittany is on Taste of the Wild was losing weigh. There are no health issues. So I just wanted to add a 1/2 cup of a quality dog food that was high in grain to his diet. He recommended this… after reading about the FDA Suspention and about the owneer legal issue I am not sure what to think. Yous website say the Pheasant/brown rice dry dog food is a 4 star dog food so I would like to think it is okay to still add it to the food to put on weight or should I return the bag, I did not open it yet.

    Your thoughts?

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Alex… Thanks for sharing this disturbing story. After reading it, I’m not sure what to do about our currently favorable Evanger’s product ratings. The dog food labels say one thing about the products. Yet the alleged unethical behavior by the company’s leadership tell a different story. Makes us wonder.

    Hopefully, our readers will take the time to read these comments. Thanks again for the tip.

  • Alex

    The owners of Evanger’s were recently charged with utility theft. Their behavior is so blatantly unethical that I am forced to question the quality and content of their dog food. I no longer trust this company and would never feed their product to my dogs.

    http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/03/pet-food-firm-owners-accused-of-stealing-2m-in-eletricity-gas.html

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Chrissy… As we understand, the suspension was only temporary and the company is back in production at this time. If you need more information, Evanger’s Customer Service should be able to supply you with more details.

  • Chrissy

    I have read that The FDA suspended Evangers permit 6/12/09. Have your heard about this? What was involved and is it resolved now?

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Sumee… like us humans, dogs react differently to each recipe we offer them. And it seems the older the dog, the more prone they are to GI upsets with food changes.

    By the way, it’s crucial when making dietary changes to “dovetail” the new food SLOWLY into the old food. I’d start with no more that just 10-20% of the new food and take 2 weeks to ever-so GRADUALLY increase the new food to 100%.

  • sumee

    when I tried switching my 8 year old shepherd pit mix from EVO grain-free turkey/chicken venison to Evangers Pheasant, she had horrendous diarhhea for a week. My lab was fine though his stool was considerably softer than the rock hard EVO emissions. Both dogs are fine with brown rice, as I do give that to them with ground beef on occasion, so Im wondering what was so awful in the pheasant evanger’s?