EVO Dog Food (Dry)

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Rating: ★★★★★

EVO Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.

The EVO product line includes seven dry dog foods, four recipes claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and three recipes for adult maintenance.

The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.

  • EVO Red Meat Formula
  • EVO Turkey and Chicken Formula
  • EVO Herring and Salmon Formula
  • EVO Weight Management Formula
  • EVO Red Meat Formula Small Bites
  • EVO Turkey and Chicken Formula Small Bites
  • EVO Turkey and Chicken Meal Senior Formula

EVO Turkey and Chicken Meal Formula was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.

EVO Turkey and Chicken Formula

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 47% | Fat = 24% | Carbs = 21%

Ingredients: Turkey, chicken, turkey meal, chicken meal, potatoes, herring meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E), natural flavors, eggs, apples, tomatoes, potassium chloride, carrots, vitamins (ascorbic acid, vitamin E supplement, betaine hydrochloride, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, beta carotene, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, folic acid), cottage cheese, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, calcium iodate), alfalfa sprouts, dried chicory root, direct-fed microbials (dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product)

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2.8%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis42%22%NA
Dry Matter Basis47%24%21%
Calorie Weighted Basis37%47%17%

The first two ingredients in this dog food are turkey and chicken. Although quality items, raw poultry 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, these items would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.

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

The fourth ingredient is chicken meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.

The fifth ingredient is potato. 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 sixth ingredient is herring meal, yet another high protein meat concentrate.

Unlike most fish meals, this item appears1 to be ethoxyquin-free.

The seventh 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.

After the natural flavor, we find whole eggs. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.

The ninth ingredient is apple, a nutrient-rich fruit that’s also high in fiber.

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, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.

Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.

Next, we note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added to provide enzymes to aid the animal with digestion.

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.

EVO Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, EVO Dog Food looks like an above average dry 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 47%, a fat level of 24% and estimated carbohydrates of about 21%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 48% and a mean fat level of 22%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 22% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 45%.

Above-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 significant amount of meat.

For those desiring to mimic a dog’s natural ancestral diet, EVO Dry makes an excellent choice.

Bottom line?

EVO Dog Food is a grain free kibble using a significant amount of named meats and meat meals as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Enthusiastically recommended.

Please note some products may have been given higher or lower ratings based upon our estimate of their total meat content.

Special Alert

Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.

A Final Word

The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.

Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.

Each review is offered in good faith and has been 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 analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.

In closing, we do not accept money, gifts or samples from pet food companies in exchange for special consideration in the preparation of our reviews or ratings.

To learn how we support the cost of operating this website, please visit our public Disclosure and Disclaimer page.

Have an opinion about this dog food? Or maybe the review itself? Please know we welcome your comments.

Notes and Updates

11/22/2009 Original review
06/23/2010 Review updated
01/30/2011 Review updated (added new Senior recipe)
03/31/2011 Review updated (slight change in vitamin and mineral sequence)
11/20/2012 Last Update

  1. Per Natura Customer Service, 6/23/2010
  • Pattyvaughn

    Maybe Natures Variety Instinct. Pumpkin helps with loose stools, but she would only need about a half to one teaspoon in each meal.

  • foodle

    Actually she is not having a hard time – two of the four I’ve tried (Annamaet Encore and Ziwipeak Venison, canned) she likes very much and the stools are decent – tho not as good as on the Evo. I would like to find one that does even better. Both of these are lower protein by far and much lower calories – she has to eat more and gets less. That doesn’t seem good. She’s a ten-year-old Miniature Poodle – except for the stool problem, we have no health issues. She weighs ten pounds and I want to keep her at that. Thanks for your response.

  • Pattyvaughn

    That is so sad. Can you imagine eating the same food for seven years, day in and day out, and then suddenly having to change? I bet her stomach is going to be very upset. Whichever food you decide to try, you may want to add a spoonful of pumpkin plus probiotics and digestive enzymes to every meal until she is completely used to the new food. You might consider that this is the perfect time to make sure that in the future she has a healthy gut by starting her on a rotational diet. When you find one food that she does well on, it is a great time to start looking for the next food that she does well on until you have a few foods that she does well on and then you can switch between them regularly and she will never again be dependent on just one food that could be recalled at any time. Plus, feeding a rotational diet supports a wider variety of intestinal flora, the good bacteria, that help to keep you dog healthy in many, many ways.

  • foodle

    My dog has been on Evo turkey & ckn small bites for 7 years. Now I am off Evo after the second recall. On Evo she had small, neat stools and I want to find another 5 star food which will do that. Before Evo on several foods she had large, soft, frequent, messy stools. What about the Evo should I try to duplicate? What solved her problem: the no-grain? the high protein? the low fat? the coating? the fowl base? Something else? I would appreciate any help. I don’t want to try every 5 star food. Thanks for any help.

  • http://www.facebook.com/steven.grimsley.9 Steven Grimsley

    Definitely keep using it. Some online suppliers have non-recalled bags available. Recalls happen. One time is excusable. Any more recalls? Maybe not.

  • Marywith2dogs

    Well after going through 2 bags of Evo I’ve switched to Acana Grasslands. It’s also grain free but has a lower protein content and fewer calories per cup. My small dog was gaining too much weight on the Evo and her stools were like little rocks. I think she’s better off on the Acana. My Lab developed his first-ever anal gland infection while on Evo. I can’t say for sure that the Evo had anything to do with it but he’s better off with a lower-calorie food too I think.

  • foodle

    I’m in the same position. Before Evo my dog had loose stools about 3 days a week.
    With Evo maybe twice a month. I can’t trust it again after the SECOND recall; my dog ate it and had liquid stool for two weeks before I knew there was the second recall. $157,80 in vet bills and much agony. I’m looking for other grain-frees. Maybe that’s the key to great stools. What do you think?

  • Denise Arthurs

    I bought a 5 pound bag of Innova Prime grain free food (with a coupon) from Petsmart. Clover is usually on Acana Wild Prairie. I gave her the Innova for treats and training. We have gone to the regular vet and the ER. She had lots of bloody diarrhea and had to stay overnight. She was a very sick puppy (just turned a year). If that was her only food I’m sure she would have died. I’m sticking with Acana. We’ve never had a problem with it and to my knowledge it has never had a recall.

  • Cathy

    Im so disappointed about the Natura recall. I have had my cocker spaniel on the Innova for a while and loved how she was doing on it. Stools were great, lots of energy and never had any health issues. Now im stuck on what to do! We all run the risk of Samonella in the dog food. Do I change her food (Innova) or should I keep her on it?

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Hi Deb –

    Any food can be recalled at any time. I wouldn’t say that EVO is no longer a “safe” food – Natura is a very reputable company and this is the first recall the company has ever had. There certainly are many foods that haven’t had recalls that you could switch to, but this is no assurance that they won’t have a recall in the future. Some foods that have never had a recall (to my knowledge): Dr. Tim’s, Earthborn, Fromm, Precise, Grandma Lucy’s, NutriSource, etc. You should also consider finding a few go to brands your dog can eat that way if there’s another recall in the future you have other brands you know you can pick up.

  • Deb

    EVO and Innova had a recent recall. :-( Now I need to find another brand that I feel is going to be safe. Is there a SAFE brand?

  • Alexandra

    Hi Dog Lover,

    What issues are you experiencing with your GSD?

    I rotate through all of the formulas. When I first started I fed the allergy formula, now turkey and egg for almost a year as he had systemic yeast infection. All of Brothers formulas are now being tagged as “allergy” they are in process of changing a few ingredients in the other formulas to get them to that point.

  • Dog Lover1

    I have a sick GSD right now & know that it must be his food.Alexandra,what type of the Brothers are you feeding your GSD that has helped so much?Thanks for your reply!
    -Dog Lover

  • Hound Dog Mom

    I highly doubt it’s an attempt to sell more food. The calorie recommendations vary greatly from brand to brand – there’s no standard. Personally, I find all the feeding recommendations on the bags to be way off. My dogs have always eaten 1 1/2 to 2 times as much as was recommended on the bag.

  • Marywith2dogs

    I’ve been feeding my dogs Nutri-source grain free (4-star) but decided to try switching to Evo. I bought my first bag of red meat small bite kibble and noticed that the feeding guidelines for both dogs (one big, one little) recommend about 20% more calories than the Nutri-source recommended. Wow–20% is a big difference. Is this just an attempt to sell more dog food, or what?

  • http://www.facebook.com/deborah.cox.587 Deborah Cox

    I have 5 Italian Greyhounds of various ages ranging from 11/2 years to 11 years old and they all are fed Evo small bites chicken and turkey and also the herring and for the older ones now, I feed the weight management. The older ones act like puppies and run and play everyday and I think EVO is the right choice for us!!! Thanks EVO!

  • JellyCat

    HDM, thanks for sharing that. I just bought some of EVO chicken and turkey for my cat as I was trying to reduce costs before vacation.

  • Alexandra

    Hi HDM,

    I was just going to share that. Thanks. :-)

  • Hound Dog Mom
  • neezerfan

    Good to know, HDM, I like Evo and so does my dog.

  • Pattyvaughn

    PETA nuts came to a dog show I was at years ago, and released several dogs. The show was right by 2 major highways and a dog was killed. Another was terrified and ran into woods and was never found. It probably starved to death if it wasn’t eaten by a fox or bobcat. Two more got into a major fight and had to be hospitalized. Lovely group, really cares about the welfare of dogs. The nuttier ones that started the group believe that people should not own animals at all and that they are better off dead than owned. And people give them money thinking they are doing good. They are no different than terrorists IMHO.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    I agree. I’m all for “the ethical treatment of animals” but PETA is over the top (imo).

  • http://www.thegreedypinstripes.com/ BryanV21

    I can’t stand PETA, as they seem to do more harm than good.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    EVO (along with Innova, California Naturals and Karma) used to be owned by Natura but they were bought out by Proctor and Gamble (which owns Iams and Eukanuba) a while back. If you’re concerned about the animal testing done by Proctor and Gamble maybe you should read this: http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_6/features/Pet-Food-Companies-Animal-Research-Practices_20547-1.html

  • Cute cocker mom

    Oops. I’ve been feeding my girl Evo for the past two years, but just found out that they are owned by Iams, a company that does laboratory testing on DOGS and CATS. They currently have up to 700 dogs in their Dayton, Ohio lab facility. See PETA’s website…iamscruelty.com. The undercover video is hard to watch; I recommend just reading about it. Then sign the petition! No more EVO for my girl.

  • http://twitter.com/TheyCallMeDelly Delgada Jayne

    I bought the EVO Turkey grain free treats from PetFlow and so far my dog enjoys them. The treats from Walmart we bought weren’t in correlation to her main meals (grain-free!). So far so good, but I’m skeptical on buying the Herring one. A lot of fish comes from China even though the bag says “Made in USA.” But, I just say a prayer and roll the dice. Good price for 20 oz of treats!

  • http://twitter.com/TheyCallMeDelly Delgada Jayne

    Taco Bell = Tasty, yet slow, painful death. -.-

  • Pingback: What’s the Deal With Dog Food? | Duncan Pets

  • Thomas’

    We have the pickiest dog in the world. He was on California Natural but never wanted to eat it. As soon as we opened the bag of Evo Red Meat he started crying and barking, he absolutely LOVED it!

  • Daisy’s Mom

    Thanks for the feedback! I’ll keep monitoring her but think also it was the chicken that she developed an intolerance for. Will donate the spare bag to a shelter.

  • http://www.thegreedypinstripes.com/ BryanV21

    Merrick GF Pork doesn’t have any chicken in it, so that could have been the issue. I recommend Evo Weight Management all the time to overweight dogs, and nobody has reported any issues with it. So it sounds like another case of a dog not handling it personally.

  • Daisy’s Mom

    Has anyone had any problems with EVO healthy weight dry? I had been feeding my dog (half russell terrier, half poodle) this food for a few years and a few months ago switched from turkey to chicken as a mixer. Can’t tell if it was the kibble or the chicken that caused a problem. She began vomiting and then would not finish the bowl. I have switched her to Merrick Grain Free pork blend and she is fine now. A very healthy dog in all other respects. Thanks.

  • oreomypit

    My pit loves Evo. I see many issues posted from previous post ranging from vomiting to diarrhea. These problems arise from over feeding. Since Evo is such a high protein food your pet digestive system is only able to digest and used a certain amount. The unused/undigested portion will exit as waste. My pit thinks this food is treat and will eat as much as I put down. So you must really monitor your pet calorie intake. At 537 calories pure cup Evo packs a mighty punch.

  • JellyCat

    It’s nice that you can see a difference in your ferrets!
    I don’t like Marshall’s either but I have to deal with their ferrets as we mainly have Marshall’s ferrets. People get them in a pet store thinking that they are like guinea pigs and then abandon because clearly they are not. We don’t have any more breeders thankfully. We never had good breeder though. I would much prefer good breeders to ferret mill.                   

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/ICSHSY3U643OX3N3TK55UIC7XQ Steve

     JellyCat,

    I’m excited to see the difference in these two ferrets I just transitioned from Kitten Chow.  I never do any business with Marshall’s as they are just another ferret mill, which I believe plays a larger part in their shortened life expectancies in the USA.  I had a friend in England who has 30 ferrets and they have their own room with running water and climate control.  These ferrets are part of her family business of pest control.  In England, they consider rabbits a pest and they use the ferrets to hunt.  The ferrets would know it was the morning of a hunt because she would put a huge omelet for all of them to eat.  England, without capitalism, takes much better of pets and you have to get permission to even neuter.  Without mills and proper breeding, her ferrets would live to 14 years and beyond.

  • JellyCat

     I personally transitioned couple of ferrets from Kitten Chow to good quality kibble. The difference in their appearance, energy levels and muscle mass was stunning. Although these ferrets lived in cages prior me transitioning them to good nutrition and cage free stimulating environment.
    I was amazed how much of Kitten Chow these ferrets had to consume to get at least some nutrition. They smelled bad, had poor quality coats and their poop was almost yellow due to high corn content in this awful food. This food is just outrageously bad for ferrets.

  • JellyCat

    Feeding and giving dogs cat food is fine. The main difference is that there is typically higher fat and protein content in addition to extra taurine in cat food. Other way around maybe problematic, although taurine is naturally present in animal tissue and therefore in high quality foods.
    Some time ago, pet food manufacturers realized that if they make cat food of corn they must artificially add taurine to it because cats would develop serious health issues such as cardiac, vision loss etc. This why large food companies do a lot of research and feeding trials as they have to figure out the way to make cheapest food without immediate health effects.

    Ferrets of course require better quality foods because health effects in ferrets will be more obvious faster due to their high metabolism. I think that Marshalls state that ferret life expectancy is 5 years on purpose, because their foods are of poor quality.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/ICSHSY3U643OX3N3TK55UIC7XQ Steve

    Jellycat,

    Wow, thanks for all the info!  I would never feed my ferrets dog food though.  However, my dogs line up by the ferret cage when it’s time for them to come out and play so that I can give them some kitten kibble as a treat. 

  • JellyCat

    Also, it is very important to note that ferrets need taurine but there is usually always less of it in dog foods than there is in cat foods. So feeding ferret a dog kibble is not recommended.
    In addition, with some other dog foods (not evo) there is less fat and more carbs. 
    If you want to save some money get large bags of EVO cat and kitten or Orijen. I don’t know if there are large bags of Horizon Legacy or GO.

  • JellyCat

     EVO cat and kitten is almost identical (there is 2% fibre in cat food and 1.5 in ferret food) to EVO Ferret. The difference is price. EVO ferret is usually always more expensive and you cannot get it in a large bag that will save you a lot.

    You may still want to rotate foods as it is not a great idea to feed only one food. Also, many people complain that Evo ferret and Evo cat produce somewhat loose stool in ferrets.

    Some great cat foods to feed ferrets are:
    Orijen, GO, Horizon Legacy, Feline Natural freeze dry (for supplementation) and ZiwiPeak dry (for supplementation.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Wag.com sells EVO’s ferret food. $21.49 for 6.6 lbs. free shipping on orders over $49.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/ICSHSY3U643OX3N3TK55UIC7XQ Steve

    Hound Dog Mom,

    I went to my holistic retailer, and I checked all the Feline brands to feed to my ferrets (they don’t carry ferret food).  Evo Cat and Kitten blew the doors off all the other choices with 50% protein and the first 5 ingredients were all meat and fish protein.  Ferrets are obligate carnivores!  I felt better about P&G after reading that article so thank you. 
    At $22 for a 6.6 pound bag, it’s pretty pricey but Totally Ferret is about $16 for a 4 pound bag (if you can find it but you will probably get stuck with shipping costs too).  I looked up EVO Ferret food online and it looks like it’s the same as this food with a different bag design.
    I was giving them Purina Kitten Chow but now I’m wiser and realize that Purina just been charging me for rice and corn and hurting my beloved pets. 

  • Hound Dog Mom
  • http://profile.yahoo.com/ICSHSY3U643OX3N3TK55UIC7XQ Steve

    Thanks Abby.  Good to know!  I had a girlfriend who was an animal activist who avoided P&G because they conducted unnecessary and disgusting animal testing.  Now they want to feed our pets.  That’s BS.  The profit of these companies made a mark and they bought them.  Now they will destroy whatever good work these companies did and keep the brand name. 

  • abby

     P&G purchased NaturaPet which includes EVO, Innova, and California Natural

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/ICSHSY3U643OX3N3TK55UIC7XQ Steve

    I also saw that P&G was the parent company.   I’m glad someone commented on PetFoodDirect about that because I saw they also make a ferret food.  I have two ferrets and I’m looking for a quality kitten or high-protein cat food.  Did P&G also buy Innova?

  • Gode Lover

    I wish I had realized, before buying this food, that the parent company was P&G. Years ago, my cats suddenly had a load of health problems when P&G bought out Iams and changed the recipe to junk. I’m just glad I didn’t buy the large bag, because I won’t buy it again. It’s hard to stay ahead of these big conglomerates that buy smaller pet food companies with good reputations, and change them into a more expensive version of their mainstream brands. They are basically buying the label to do with as they please. I’m running out of options, and getting very close to just cooking my own.

  • Chase11392001

     I have been feeding my 2 girls EVO Weight Control for over a year.  My Pom has had a case of diarrhea, but I don’t believe that it was from the EVO.  The only problem that I see with this particular food is that I don’t think it tastes real good.  My girls will only eat it when they are really hungry…..but, most diet food is like that…lol

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Most high quality foods are preserved with mixed tocopherols (vitamin e). Natural foods will tend to go rancid faster because once opened because of the lack of chemical preservatives. Most natural foods also only have a shelf life of about 1 year (unopened) after manufacture while low quality foods have shelf lives of around 2 years (unopened).

  • Capsandogs

    I’m curious if anyone knows how EVO preserves the food?  One of the biggest complaints that I have heard from veterinarians on some of the newer “better quality” foods is that they don’t preserve well, and after being opened the ingredients go bad and said vets see many cases of diarrhea.

  • Alexandra

    Too funny John!

    I fell again… Won’t make that mistake again.

  • Johnandchristo

    Morning Alexandra,

    My teenage little girl told me “Sydonai” is a role playing game from dragon cave, LOL! You see what I mean ?

    These posters are all fake, they are jokers, Dragon cave LOL. The screen name changes but the plot stays the same. The trolls come out around the holidays.

    I think it,s plankton from sponge Bob square pants.

  • Alexandra

    Hi Sydonai,

    As for potato, the sweet potato is not a member of the nightshade family. It doesn’t come with all of the negatives that white potato has. As far as kibble a Brothers is among the lowest is carb count.

    I haven’t liked NV since all of the shake ups over there. As for their raw, they use HPP processing and when I fed one bag of their raw, and the meat as a result of this processing, was grey and looked unappealing to me and my boys turned their noses up at it.

    And NV must have changed on their rabbit, as their raw rabbit was from China and that is enough for me to avoid a company.

    I am aware that Orijen is going to remove their potato which I think is great, however adding lentils like they did to Acana and adding canola oil to the fish line is a step backwards for both lines. Lentils have their own issues, similar to potato if I recall correctly. And canola oil can contain MSG, which can present issues as well. And then once they make changes, which I don’t think is entirely for the best, cost will probably go up, like it did for Acana. In my opinion anyway.

    I would love to see a photo of your dog.

  • Mike P

    We gave NV a try and my Boxer did well on the chicken but not so well on the beef.Our last 3 bags of food has been Brothers.We did Brothers Red Meat a year ago and she had rock hard poops.We a currently using the newer formula Red Meat and she is doing awesome.I plan on rotating the White and Red from now on and may try a 5 lb bag of Brothers Fish and see how that goes.The bag of NV Beef that my dog did not do well on was kind of dry and chalky and I returned it.Brothers is the freshest we have used by far.

  • http://BrothersComplete.com/ Richard Darlington

    Sydonai
    Just to clarify a thing or two. I certainly agree with most of your philosophical position but your representation of Brothers needs a little tweaking if I may.

    Brothers has no Sweet potato in the Allergy formula and only a couple % in the other formulas. It’s not really a potato despite the potato moniker, and it has a much lower glycemic value than white potato.

    NV uses 24% fat and Brothers uses 16% fat (dry matter basis) so Brothers uses more Tapioca instead of pumping up the fat.

    Brothers makes a Turkey (Allergy formula), a Beef (Red meat formula), Fish (Fish formula) and a Chicken (White meat formula) so rotational feeding is definitely possible with Brothers and often practiced by our customers as we do recommend it.

    We do recommend that some raw be added to the dogs diet but we don’t make any raw but I’d certainly recommend NV raw and we sell it in our Fort Lauderdale store.

    There are other considerations that make Brothers exceptional and worth trying, especially since you show your dogs, but I’m not really trying to get you to switch to Brothers right now – just wanted to clear up a few things.

    I would really like very much if you would post pictures of your dogs as I’m sure they must be magnificent and we’re a dedicated bunch of dog lovers here.

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    BTW since NV was acquired last year or so, they’ve been slowly making some changes to recipes.  The Prairie line right now has some reformulations and are no longer single-protein recipes.  Makes me wonder what is coming down the pike for the rest of the foods.

    And also Instinct is not a single protein food.  It has at least 2 different proteins in one recipe.  Only the LID recipes are single proteins.

    You might want to give Epigen a try. The Epigen Fish is potato free.

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    So are you saying they finally stopped using rabbit from China because they used to use rabbit from 3 places - from Italy and China and France.  One was for the kibble and two places for the canned food, one for raw.

    I saved this email reply:

    “Our ingredients are sourced from different locations, depending on the time of year and batch. The rabbit protein we use in our raw diet is from China. The rabbit in our canned is sourced from Italy and China, while the rabbit in our kibble is from France. We employ a U.S. educated food scientist in China to oversee our rabbit sourcing. All rabbit protein is tested before shipment from China and again after it arrives in the U.S. and is processed into our raw diet.”

    For me I like tapioca or sweet potato/yam kibble or even pea kibble.

  • Toxed2loss

    Good counsel, John.

  • Toxed2loss

    I’m glad you found something you like. I hope it works well for you. I woudn’t use NV kibble because it has canola oil, citric acid, and natural flavor. The latter two are known sources of excitatory neurotoxins – MSG, and Aspartic acid…

  • Sydonai

    I don’t understand why Brothers tries to be potatoes free by using tapioca but then go and over carbohydrate by adding sweet potatoes? If you want the best tapioca kibble then purchase Natures Variety Instinct. They have 6 separate proteins as well as 3 LIDs. And all of them are grain and potatoes free. They also have an entire line of frozen raw. I feed my 145lb Boerboel 10-12 oz of raw with 2 cups of kibble. BOTH RAW AND KIBBLE FROM THE SAME PROTEIN! I rotate thru a different protein every 12 days. Brothers is a good food but isnt rotational. Any vet worth his salt will tell you that rotational feeding is the foundation for a healthier dog. Its rumored that Champion Foods is taking the hint and reformulating their Orijen line to remove the potatoes.

    Lastly NV is manufactured in Lincoln Nebraska by all US sourced ingredients (except the Rabbit comes from Italy). Its manufactured using USDA certified human consumptable ingredients. I’m not saying its the best dog food but the three top 5 US ranked dogs I’ve raised over the years tend to be a good argument that its the best tapioca kibble.

  • Alexandra

    Well said John!

    This stuff just gets old, you know?

  • Johnandchristo

    AWW Patty ,

    I will. thank you, your sweet, lucky Christo! 

  • Pattyvaughn

    I guess I can forgive you… as long as you give Christo a kiss for me, since I can’t do it myself.

  • Johnandchristo

    Sorry Patty,

    I’m happy your in, we are growing every day. Why else would all these creeps be coming out of the wood work? :)

  • Pattyvaughn

    Pffft, three?  Four!!

  • Johnandchristo

    Hi Toxed and Alexandra,

    I don’t think you guys should even respond to this person. 
    They are clearly just trying to black-ball brothers. The sad part is they are not very good at it. Toxed your response was very good, to bad its wasted on a brick wall . All three of use Brothers and can see how amazing it is every time we see are pets. We are only telling it like it is. I don’t recall anyone bashing another brand by name. Lets not give these awful  people are time. 

  • Toxed2loss

    Yeah! Like they think Dr. Mike & the moderators won’t notice?! @@

  • Alexandra

    Terri cat,

    What is it you think you are going to gain by this?

    I have fed Brothers for well over a year and this is the ONLY food that helped my sick German Shepherd, the proof is in the dog, I see it and many other Brothers users see it.

    Richard choosing not to disclose his trade secrets is his business. He has always been very helpful and supportive when I have asked for his help. He also has changed formulas based on customer issues. Would Champion pet foods do that? I doubt that they will. Most manufactures are not as hands on as Richard and his wonderful family.

  • Alexandra

    Hi Toxed,

    What’s more interesting that this smear Brothers campaign is on the EVO thread as we compare Brothers to Orijen.

  • Toxed2loss

    They use poly propylene and sometimes poly ethylene glycol to keep those chewy pieces moist… Polyethylene glycol is antifreeze.

  • Toxed2loss

    Taurine & AAFCO

    Terri cat,
    You are assuming facts not in evidence. The level of taurine has nothing to do with the level of meat.

    Unless you have copies of lab reports showing what the levels of taurine are in each ‘meat’ source, and the analyzed levels of taurine after processing, you’d have no way of knowing what the taurine levels of Orijin really are, or if they’re even safe for dogs, because they list minimums on the label… You’d also have to has insider information on exactly what the meat sources where and the quantity used, as well as the entire “trade secret” processing practice to haver any real idea what-so-ever. You haven’t produced any documentation (not marketing) as to the sources of meat or taurine in Orijen… yet you don’t hesitate to DEMAND documentation from anyone who supports Brother’s!? Many manufacturers have added taurine, in excess, as a marketing gimmick, in response to the uninformed public that thinks that “more is better.”

    FYI Taurine is not regulated on Dog food labels by the AACFO, so manufacturers can put in whatever they like!
    http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/resourcesforyou/ucm047120.htm

    For anyone interested in the games petfood manufacturers can and do play I recommend you read this entire link, from Harvard.
    http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/784/Patrick06.html

    I have found that Richard, and the Brother’s Complete family exemplify the highest standard of integrity. They aren’t playing these games. They’ve earned my trust and my respect. I won’t violate that trust for anyone and articulately not for an anonymous, demanding, poster.

    IF you actually have lab analysis, then you are an industry insider and not disclosing that information, which is a violation of this sites commenting policy. As you are also attempting to ferret out inside information about Brother’s, in a rather duplicitous fashion, that also violates the policy.

    You were demanding John tell you what you want to know… Now me. What makes you think 1.) I’d give it to such a rude person if I had it, and 2.) that I even would know? I’m just a consumer, like John, albeit I have almost 30 years into investigating toxins and manufacturing processes, and have received training from FBI instructors on how to tell when someone else is lying…

    The bottom line here is that you are behaving as though your agenda is to discredit Brother’s at all costs ~ not like a consumer with any real concern. If you don’t like the fact that someone tells you “No. You don’t get that information.” Take your self down the road and use a different product. No ones forcing you to use Brother’s and all of us happy customers have a right to sing its praises. Brother’s has very generously disclosed everything but its trade secrets, the things that make Brother’s so much better, and you want that, too. Too bad, so sad! You can’t have it. Not by bullying, insulting or insinuating all manner of bad things, which have no bases in fact. Its legally referred to as “sander” and the FCC is stepping up its practices of hunting down and prosecuting violators, FYI.

    Its been said more times than can be counted… If you want that info, email Richard and prove you have no insider affiliations. But you aren’t doing that… Instead, you’re trying anything but the required approach. That in itself indicates dishonesty. (FBI profiling.) You obviously have knowledge of the previous conversation asking the same questions, that was banned on the Brother’s thread. That means it was banned on the entire website. You can’t take it to another thread and try to get away with it here, without being in direct conflict with the site owner’s edict.

  • Terri cat

    Hi Toxed

    Can you please post what components are balanced to each other in Brother’s that are not balanced in Orijen which is the only food I listed.

    The reason I posted about the taurine levels in Orijen and Brother’s is to show that because Orijens levels of taurine are 7 times higher than Brothers without adding taurine to their food like Brothers does this indicates that Orijen has a much higher meat content than Brothers or the meat in Brothers is very degraded.

    Taurine comes from meat and fish and a food that contains a high amount of quality meat like Brothers claims would have a higher taurine level. 

  • Pattyvaughn

    OK,  my pup that I’m having to be very careful of his diet came to me on Purina One and it had those shreds in it.  He would always pick them out first and I had such a bear of a time getting him switched off of it because he would refuse to eat at all.  I think they are addictive.

  • Melissaandcrew

     Its been a while since a boarder has brought it, but last time I fed it to one, it was like the “normal” dry food(mostly hard kibble) with these “chewy” pieces thrown in. I didn’t even like the smell of it, and I have fed pro plan in the past.

  • Pattyvaughn

    So shreds are semi moist, I don’t like those either.  Is it one component of the food, or is the whole thing semi moist?

  • Melissaandcrew

     HDM-

    I will not use any food with “semi moist” components for two reasons. It bothers me how and what has to be added to keep them “semi moist” aka rubbery feeling. As well, it was(or is, have not kept up on my canine dental info) believed to pack in  under the gum lines, making it very difficult to clean out, causing cervical line lesions in the tooth.

  • aimee

     Hi Hound Dog Mom,

    I’ve just never used the shreds… that was really all I was trying to convey.

    I do think the consistency a little odd though, kind of creeps me out : ) A good friend feeds the shreds though and loves them (and she used to feed raw!) so.. to each their own : )

    Looks like a few new formulas and repackaging of the present ones. It is all about market share I’d imagine.

  • Toxed2loss

    Ditto. I also wondered why if someone thinks they have all the answers, why don’t they share their answers, rather than attack a competitor?

  • Pattyvaughn

    I just find it extremely interesting that a person who, from her profile, has never been on here, seems to think she knows everything.  Make you wonder how many different names a person has.  Not to mention what dog food she is plugging for that she is too ashamed of to mention by name.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Larry P

    I can say that my dogs thrive on Brothers because I have 2 other dogs that were already thriving on Brothers before I got the one with problems.  The good people at Brothers are the ones who told me raw is best, because they are all about what is best for the dog, not just selling their kibble.  I haven’t seen another company do that.

    Besides if you had bothered to read my post, you would see that I advised if she didn’t go with Brothers to choose another grain and potato free, high protein, moderate fat, low starch food.  That she would be amazed at the difference it made.

    I’m not trashing whatever food your trying to sell, why don’t you have enough confidence in it to sell it on its own merits instead of trashing whatever food might be competition, anonymously.

  • Toxed2loss

    Why would you ask John that information? John is a customer. Why don’t you go o the website? Their FAQ page, answers all those questions. AND Dr. Mike said to drop this. Richard already answered it.

  • Toxed2loss

    Brother’s is unique in that its balanced one component to the other, unlike the other’s you listed. & FYI, too much taurine can cause problems, so more is not better! From ehow(dot)com:

    “There are a variety of symptoms that signal that the body contains too much taurine which is an amino acid that is important for metabolism. Some of these include a lack of vitamin B6, zinc deficiency and development of rheumatoid arthritis and liver disease can be caused by an excess of taurine over an extended period of time. Because the heart is the storage unit for the majority of taurine in the body, excess taurine for long periods can also be evidence of developing heart disease.”

    Read more: Symptoms of Excess Dopamine or Taurine | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_5890974_symptoms-excess-dopamine-taurine.html#ixzz2Ggugf0rS

    Yeast grown selenium has its own set of toxins. The medium they grow it on is petroleum fed black mold. I prefer the elemental mineral which has been used safely for livestock for decades.1 Just because selenium yeast is ‘new’ does not make it better or safer. There’s just less research, or body of evidence collected.

    1. http://www.petfoodindustry.com/Sub_Level_-_News/45525.html

  • Johnandchristo

    I bet you gotta go, you have not a leg left to stand on. lol nice try you are out classed. happy new year .

  • Johnandchristo

    To Larry curley and moe,

    The fact that you would compare by name different brands of dog food in its self exposes you in my view.
    for if your question of the difference of different brands were valid you would not need to name any brand by name. Or change your screen name to add to the illusion of your cause. That I believe is to black-ball Brothers  dog food. You can not do that. To many people now use it. To many people can attest to the potency of it’s application. you can not lie any more. Sad for you.

  • Terri cat

     Hi John

    I would like to continue this debate but you have not provided any details to substantiate your claim that Brother’s uses the highest quality meats.

    I guess what you post is also nonsense and unsubstantiated rubbish.

    I gotta go now.

    Happy News Years to all!

  • Larry P

    I’m not sayin Brothers Complete is not a good food. It’s just that other high quality foods like Orijen, Legacy, Instinct,  and Evo say what the meat content of their food is. Brother’s Complete refuses to answer that question.

    John and Patty, you feed your dogs Brother’s plus a lot of fresh non processed meats and other things. How can you say that your dogs are thriving because of Brothers when it just as likely that your dogs are thriving in spite of Brother’s

  • Johnandchristo

    Terri cat, 

    I could and will. I’m a Brothers customer. I have had excellent results with brothers. Have you used it? You did not state that. What is your vested interest in saying Brothers is not a good kibble? Sodium selenite is not controversial. If you feel that postulates are a substitute for facts then that’s your problem. Since I use Brothers and have had great results my “opinion” might have more validity than yours. It does not take much insight to see what your motive might or might not be. What you posted is nonsense and unsubstantiated rubbish. 

  • Terri cat

     Hi John

    Can you tell us more about the highest quality meat that Brother’s Complete uses? Can you give us any details that show that what you say a is true and not just your opinion?

    Sodium Selenite is a controversial additive. Their is an article on this website that discusses it and one section is titled “Why it’s controversial

  • Pattyvaughn

    My puppy was having problems like yours.  Irritable Bowel Syndrome, skin issues, fur dry and falling out, allergy symptoms, seborrhea, were some of the things I was seeing.  At the beginning of Oct, I put my pup on Brothers Complete Allergy Formula and some balanced raw food.  Now, three months later, if you don’t know what you are looking for, you can’t tell there is anything wrong with my dog.  And he maintains the correct weight easier and has a lot more energy.  The best thing, Brothers has a money back guarantee and Richard is always available to answer questions.

    Even if you decide not to go with Brothers, seriously consider another grain and white potato free, high protein, moderate fat, low carb food.  You won’t believe the difference it will make in your dog.

  • Johnandchristo

    Hi Beth Burton,

    I would like to share with you my personal experiences, with Brothers Complete dog food. 
    First it is the freshest dog food you can buy. It is loaded with meat and my dog loves eating it. He is at his best since eating Brothers. It has NO potato or grain and uses the highest quality meat with pro/pre biotics and enzymes, I would recommend Brothers to anyone that wants a healthy dog/cat. You will find many many people on the DFA that are using Brothers, and love it. But you will also find some people that have not used it who bash it. I have used it for a year now and can state it is the best kibble made IMO. Sodium selenite is not toxic. Nor vitamin A, unless however it is taken in excess. Brothers is blended with a well thought out balance, devoid of any controversial additives.   
     

  • Terri cat

    Hi Beth

    There a couple of things that keep me away from Brothers Complete. They use sodium selenite instead of the more natural selenomethionine which is made from yeast. Sodium selenite is like 3 times more toxic than the yeast form. Why would I take a chance with my dogs health?The low levels of Taurine in Brothers Complete even though they add taurine make me think that the meat content is low or the meat is so processed that it loses it’s nutrients. Orijen has 7 times more taurine than Brothers and Natures Variety Instinct has 6 times more taurine than Brothers and neither one adds any taurine like Brothers does. Taurine is found in fish and meats so the low levels in Brothers Complete along with use of sodium selenite make me stay away from this food.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Hey Aimee, I’ve got a question for you. I noticed in your post when you recommended Pro Plan you but “not the shreds” in parenthesis. When I got Mabel her breeder was feeding Pro Plan and also said not to use the “shreds” and I’ve also seen several post on the Pro Plan thread that they think Pro Plan is great but not the “shreds.” Why does everyone hate the shreds?

    Also, I noticed Pro Plan has a nice fancy new website. How do you feel about their new grain-free and corn-free formulas?

  • aimee

     Hi Beth,

    I’ve always had labs. I look for foods that have a higher protein to fat ratio, preferably near 3:1. If fat is 10 that protein should be around 30.

    I’ve used Wellness Core reduced fat, Purina Pro Plan weight management (not the shreds) Evo reduced fat and Iams Premium Protection mature adult.

    I’d also consider Royal Canin Labrador.

  • Toxed2loss

    Good morning Beth,
    By feeding a grain free, potato free food that is low in carbs, she’ll naturally drop those extra pounds. You didn’t say what you’re feeding now, so I’m going to have to assume some things. Making a drastic change, cheap to high quality, potato & grain free, can cause diarrhea. So make it a gradual change. Notice I said potato free, as well as grain free. Potatoes have toxins. Did your granny ever tell you not to eat potatoes with green skins because they could make you sick? That’s where the toxins are. Well dog food potatoes are usually the ones rejected for human consumption…. So they have developed the toxins, or gone bad. Skip those. Sweet potatoes are o.k.

    The next thing that’s important is the addictive food additives. If you’ve been feeding something with ‘natural flavor’ or ‘natural _______ flavor’, citric acid, protein concentrates, or soy… It’s in there. MSG and Aspartic acid are both in all of those by process. They are addictive, excitatory neurotoxins. Your dog will consume more of the food than she needs, gaining weight, and be harming her health. So its important to select a food without additives (including colors).

    Allergies are a sign of a compromised immune system. So are the fungus & other skin problems. Lots of things contributed to the problems she’s having. Vaccines, worming Meds, flea and tick control, medications, cleaning & lawn chemicals, as well as the poorer quality food. Putting her on a high quality food and removing or limiting environmental toxins will make a huge difference. (There’s more info on these things under “Forums” at the top of the page.

    My # one pick for kibble is Brother’s Complete. I feed the Fish formula (its flax free), plus balanced raw. I’d recommend you start with the Allergy formula. :-) Brother’s is expensive but its so worth it. The money you save in vet bills more than pays for the food.

    I’d also suggest you hop over to one of the Brother’s threads and contact JohnandChristo. Ask John to repost Christo’s before and after pics. What a huge difference!! Christo’s a black lab. He’s so healthy now he glows!! John has done a super job, and will be more than happy to share his tips and tricks for adding healthy toppers and stretching the budget. :-)

    Richard Darlington is the manufacturer, and is usually around on those threads and willing to answer questions.

    Hope this helps. :-)

  • Beth Burton

    Hi all, a lot of great information here, but I am completely overwhelmed. I have an 90 pound, female, chocolate lab (5 – 7 pounds overweight for her size right now). No problems until about 6 months ago. Her face broke out with a fungus. it comes and goes. I was told she has developed an allergy and cheap/high carb foods can cause flare ups. Some foods (Blue) caused runny stools. She is not very active and am afraid really high protein foods are not best for her. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

  • Shar Tay

    My Pom came alive on their Herring & Salmon Formula. His coat grew + shed less and he got more active. I hope the quality doesn’t change.
    I now mix it with their customized food from RedMoon…perfect mix for my dogs. They thrive on this combo. 

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    Some fish formulas you can rotate in: Orijen 6Fish, Brothers Complete Fish, Horizon Legacy Fish and Innova Prime Fish, Core Ocean.

  • http://www.thegreedypinstripes.com/ BryanV21

    Evo has Red Meat, Herring, and Turkey & Chicken formulas. Rotating between those three should be enough. However, if you are wanting more selection, or maybe something different, I’d direct you towards Orijen. It is high protein, low carb, and grain-free like Evo.

  • Janice

    I currently feed EVO dry and am thinking about changing because they have very limited blends and I really don’t like feeding the same food day after day month after month. My almost 2 year old male Doberman has a very sensitive stomach and frequent loose runny stools, my 9 year old female Standard Poodle is very hardy and food doesn’t seem to affect her like my doberman. From what I’ve read and all the recalls on dog food my head is spinning and I really could use some advice. I’ve feed almost all the 5 star foods at one time or another for the last year trying to find one that both my dogs will eat and this time I’d like something they rush to the bowl for with wagging tails. EVO doesn’t get that reaction and I’m thinking they are in need of a change…HELP please.

  • Sydonai

    The giant breed high protein “problem” really isn’t a problem as long as the rest of the food is balanced properly with the correct amino acids and chelated minerals. The best thing you can feed your dog is raw but it can be a lot of effort and money. If you’re looking for a good kibble there are 2 that truly stand above the others and those are Orijen and Natures Variety. No dog including the large breeds have carbohydrate requirement for existence but a certain level is healthy as long as they come from the proper sources. All kibbles need a binding agent to form and not fall into powder while in the bag. 99% of all companies Champion (manufacturer of Orijen and Acana) included bind their kibble with potato. That’s fine and dandy but potatoes are carbohydrate packed meaning they basically become the only Carb source. NV uses tapioca to bind their kibble. This means they can offer a more ranged source of carbs and variety is the key to a balanced nutritional product. NV also offers 6 different proteins each with a slight variation in ingredients. All of NVs products are designed for rotational feeding. Meaning you can offer Rabbit in the morning, duck for lunch and beef for dinner. Pumping your dog with the same food in and out month after month isn’t healthy and ALL reputable vets will tell you the same thing. Rotational products are designed to mimic an ancestral diet. In the wild a dog would scavenge for anything and everything. They’d eat field mice and rabbit one day and with the help of a pack bring down a dear the next the third day they may not find any food and therefore go without. A relatively new trend with us mastiff breeders is to fast the dogs once every 7 to 10 days. This flushes the digestive system allowing the enzymes, acids and healthy bacteria to proliferate and settle leading to complete digestion of the next food cycle. In the wild canines would eat EVERYTHING including the stomach content of their prey. I would suggest you give NV a try. The kibble ranges from 440 to over 500 calories a cup! Orijen was a little too rich (80/20) for my larger dogs but my large terriers do great on it. NV is a 70/30/0 which is a much better balance for the large breeds. Its 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Check out their Instinct website. I’m their biggest fan! If you saw my Boerboels you’d know why. They range from 115lb female up to 180lb male. I’m longwinded I know.

  • Tanispets

    What kind of dry dog food do you use for the Great Pyrenees?  I have 3.  Thanks for a response.

  • Lorraine Dupuis

    The company who makes this stuff is absolutely discusting! I would never feel my animals this crap, my dogs and cats don’t need to be fed from a company that tests 90% of their products on animals. Acana/Orijen all the way! Not only is their facility amazing, their ingredients perfect and the levels spot on, but their animals used in the diet are raised free range, horimone free and by farmers who actually care about the welfare of their animals

  • Sydonai

    If you’re going to feed Orijen you might as well drop another $10-15 a month a purchase Natures Variety Frozen Raw. I fed Orijen to my last 8 dogs and loved it until my current pup came around potatoes intollerant. NV uses tapioca not potato to bind their kibble. All of it is made in Lincoln, NB and is USDA certified human consumptable. Amazing food! I feed 50/50 kibble to raw and my 145lb Boerboel has never looked better. Oh and he is currently ranked in the top 25 in the country.

  • Rheinhardt

    I worked for Safeway Stores for 20 years and can tell you P&G is one of the most irresponsible companies out there. I think you are smart to stay away from anything they are involed in.

  • Johnandchristo

    Hi Rebecca Presley…..

    I agree with you all the way. I commend you for wanting to feed good food to your dogs not poisonous crap. Orijen is so much better than those other brands you posted. Dont worry about high protein, your dogs will thrive on high protein. Try not over feed your dog.
    By keeping grains and cheap fillers, k3, and a variety of horrible ingredients you are doing a lot for the life long health of your dogs. I too would NEVER feed supermarket crap again.

  • aimee

    I think every company puts a favorable spin on their products and business practices. None of them are squeeky clean. Champion is no exception. On their website FAQ they report the ideal Ca level for large breeds is 1-1.4 % ( not sure where they got that number as it is higher than any published  recommended range I’ve ever found) and say that their foods are “formulated to meet these calcium ideals”

      Yet they list the calcium level in their large breed puppy food as min 1.5% and max 1.7%.  The company never did give me a satisfactory response as to why they don’t follow their own “ideals” as they reported that they do.

  • Pattyvaughn

    I thought it was P&G who bought Iams/Eukanuba.  They ruined what was a nice food, they definitely weren’t hands off.

  • ohnoesaz

    Don’t fear P&G foods… If they are anything like the big bad corporation that bought out the company I work for, then they are completely hands off and just collect their check at the end of the day. My dogs do great on EVO, but hate getting so little food due to calorie content.

    EVO is too high protein for a big boned puppy. That’s a whole different topic though.

    I will say that I am VERY impressed with Acana (Made by Champion). The bag was vacuum sealed and smells sooooooo freaking fresh, and the dogs love the food. From a human perspective of sight, smell and touch, this food seems to be far ahead of all other dry foods. So I definately recommend Acana/Orijen if that is an option for you.

  • Melissaandcrew

    Hi Rebecca -

    We feed Acana to our dogs and have no issues with excessive stool issues that are “smelly” As a matter of fact, their stool when they go smells far less than many of the other foods we have fed.

  • Rebecca Presley

    Oh, and Innova is one that may be best to avoid, like Evo, Eukanuba, etc.  A reputable manufacturer really is best.  Champion makes a big deal about providing high quality ingredients and food and makes a big deal about being trustworthy.

  • Rebecca Presley

    Orijen, like Acana is one of the best out there.  If you have the budget for it I highly recommend it.  I am not an authority, but I have done a lot of research and hold them in very high regard.  We feed Acana (same maker as orijen) to my cat and it brought him back from illness and the ingredient quality is phenomenal.  Also, they are a manufacturer we feel we can trust.  They make bio correct food with safe and healthy ingredients.  Its about proper pet nutrition for Champion, not about capitalizing on fillers for your pet, resulting in food related illnesses and sometimes death. It is common knowledge at our pet food suppliers that are wise to the better ingredient food movement, that orijen and acana are two of the very best.  However, you just need to make sure that they have what your dog breed needs.  We would feed it to our Great Pyrenees, but fear he needs a higher carb ratio and that Acana may be a bit too high in protein for him to have healthy controlled growth.  So there is that kind of thing to consider, but that is best ascertained between you and your vets recommendations for your dogs dietary needs.  And be forewarned, if you go grain free, the food will me more efficient, the daily feed amount will be less than those with fillers and there will be less waste from your pet due to the lack of fillers (junk) going in…. but it may smell way worse, dog or cat.  But, to me my cats health is more important than being able to breath in the immediate vicinity of his cat box after a fresh bowel release… and the other plus side is he uses his box less frequently because he processes more of the food and gets more from it.  Those are my thoughts on it.

  • Rebecca Presley

    Acana is one of the best foods out there.  If it fits your dogs dietary needs, I highly recommend it and applaud your choice.  Unfortunately we have a Great Pyrenees (giant breed) and fear that the protein and carb ratio is too balanced for our dogs high carb needs (large breed issue), especially while a puppy. But we are still researching that. Acana grain free cat foods brought my cat back from illness related to high carb cat food with bad ingredients (purina :/).  I have since learned of the grain free movement for cats and the better quality ingredients in general for dogs (grain free not always necessary for dogs, but still ideal in most situations as long as carbs are still available from other sources).  But foods like Evo, Iams, Eukanuba, Nutro…we will probably avoid forever.

  • Ev

    My Chihuahua is on Nutro dry and wet, and loves it. I was thinking about starting her on a rotation diet and neart Earth born primitive was good? I like to give her the small bites. What would you reccommend for an 8 year old Chi?

  • bsell

    We have a rottweiler puppy and currently feeding nutro natural w/o any issues; however, there seem to be a lot of complaints.  I was considering transitioning to Innova, but I don’t like the idea that they are owned by P&G.  Any opinions on Orijen Large Breed Puppy?

  • BryanV21

    He probably just had issues digesting either the food being much higher in protein, or the fact that some of the meat isn’t so normal (boar, for instance). 

  • Keysfins

    Thanks, HDM. I knew there was a reason I had avoided EVO previously. I have used Acana, also made by Champion, with good results. The Orijen Regional Red gave my previous dog incredibly awful gas.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Hi Keysfins –

    In terms of ingredients and protein/fat/carb levels, EVO looks like a fantastic food. My only issue with the food and why I would be hesitant to feed it (and Innova, California Naturals and Karma) to my animals is that it is owned by Proctor & Gamble (makers of Iams and Eukanuba). P&G bought out Natura a few years back. I wouldn’t buy a P&G pet product because I don’t support their entry into the pet industry, I think they should stick to laundry detergent and such. Also, I would be concerned about potential changes to the formulas – Iams and Eukanuba actually used to be decent foods pre-P&G (believe it or not). Personally, if you’re looking for a good red meat formula for the rotation I would recommend Orijen’s Regional Red. It’s 38% protein, 18% fat and contains wild boar, lamb, beef, pork and bison. It’s made by Champion which I think it one of the most reputable companies in the pet industry. So it’s up to you whether or not you’re okay with feeding a P&G product, if you are than EVO would be fine.

  • Keysfins

    I am considering adding EVO Red Meat into my dog’s rotation. She eats raw for part of her diet, but due to traveling and showing, I want a kibble for convenience. I’m also looking for bison/lamb/beef for the rotation. I do add Stella & Chey’s dehydrated patties when she eats kibble.

    Thoughts? At other grain-free, high protein/low carb options with bison/lamb/beef? Thanks!

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Hmm…I think I’ll pass. Better safe than sorry.

  • Shawna

    It’s hard to say for sure Mike??  A small egg will have less protein then a jumbo egg.  What the chicken was fed would likely have some impact as well.  The fat content of the meat as well as what the cow ate would impact the amount of protein in the 6 ounces fed as well.  But, I’m certain that is sufficient to meet Jubes needs :) …  Egg is an excellent source of “high quality” protein..  :)

    I know you were cooking at one point..  If you still lightly cook the egg it will lessen the protein a bit but probably not enough to concern yourself over.. :)   And, 33% is not bad, I’d just prefer to see a bit more.  However, I’d rather see kibble with 33% AND extras then a higher protein kibble with no extras……!!!!!

  • Shawna

    I can’t edit so starting additional post.

    I found this on freezing

    “Larvae may be killed by the heating or irradiation of raw meat. Freezing is only usually effective for T. spiralis, since other species, such as T. nativa, are freeze resistant and can survive long-term freezing.[13]“  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichinosis

    If correct, freezing might not be enough.  I imagine it is possible but much less likely to get it from commercially raised pigs.