Rating: 
FirstMate Grain-Free Dog Food earns the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The FirstMate grain-free dog food product line lists six kibbles… three designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, one for puppies, one for large breeds and one for seniors.
- FirstMate Grain-Free Australian Lamb
- FirstMate Grain-Free Chicken with Blueberries
- FirstMate Grain-Free Pacific Ocean Fish Puppy
- FirstMate Grain-Free Pacific Ocean Fish Original
- FirstMate Grain-Free Pacific Ocean Fish Large Breed
- FirstMate Grain-Free Pacific Ocean Fish Senior (3 stars)
We review the company’s grain-based FirstMate Classic product line in a separate report.
FirstMate Grain-Free Pacific Ocean Fish Large Breed was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
FirstMate Grain-Free Pacific Ocean Fish Large Breed
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Potato, herring meal, tomato pomace, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), fish oil, dicalcium phosphate, choline chloride, calcium propionate, yucca plant extract, minerals (zinc, iron, manganese, copper, iodine, cobalt, selenium), vitamins (vitamin E, riboflavin, niacin, d-pantothenic acid, thiamine, vitamin A, pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3), glucosamine
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 8.9%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is potato. Assuming they’re whole, potatoes are an excellent source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The second ingredient is herring meal. Herring meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than even fresh herring.
Because of FirstMate’s published assurances1 (and unlike most fish meals), this item appears to be completely ethoxyquin-free.
Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient… a by-product left after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content… while others scorn it as a cheap pet food filler laden with pesticides found on the skin of the tomato before processing.
Due to its prominent position on this food’s ingredients list, tomato pomace plays a notable role in this food’s nutrient content. This is confirmed by its reading of nearly 9% fiber.
The fourth 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. Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is a quality ingredient.
The fifth ingredient is fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Depending upon its source, this item can be a healthy addition.
The sixth ingredient is dicalcium phosphate… likely used here as a dietary calcium supplement.
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, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
And lastly, the listed minerals do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
FirstMate Grain-Free Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, FirstMate Grain-Free Dog Food appears to be an above-average kibble.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 13% and estimated carbohydrates of about 51%.
Due to its apparently lower meat content, we have downgraded the Senior product to three stars.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 14%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 52% for the overall product line.
Near-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-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 moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
FirstMate Grain Free Dog Food is a potato-based kibble using a moderate amount of chicken, lamb or herring meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
05/08/2010 Original review
12/08/2010 Review updated
- FirstMate Pet Foods FAQ Page, 5/8/2010 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.
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