Rating: 
FirstMate Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The FirstMate Classic product line lists four dry dog foods… three meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance and one for puppies.
- FirstMate Adult Maintenance
- FirstMate Lamb Meal and Rice
- FirstMate Trim and Light (3 stars)
- First Mate High Performance/Puppy
We review the company’s FirstMate Grain-Free Dog Food brand in a separate report.
FirstMate Dog Food Adult Maintenance Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
FirstMate Adult Maintenance Formula
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, pearled barley, oat meal, brown rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), herring meal, fish oil, potato flour, tomato pomace, dicalcium phosphate, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, calcium propionate, calcium propionate, sage extract, rosemary extract, garlic oil, minerals (zinc, iron, manganese, copper, iodine, cobalt, selenium), vitamins (vitamin E, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, d-pantothenic acid, thiamine, vitamin A, pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3), glucosamine
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The second ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.
The third ingredient is oatmeal… a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, fiber and is also (unlike many other grains) gluten-free.
The fourth item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The fifth 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 sixth ingredient includes herring meal. Herring meal is another protein-rich meat concentrate… with four times more protein than fresh herring.
We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item appears1 to be ethoxyquin-free.
The seventh ingredient includes fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids… and (depending on the level of its purity) should be considered a healthy addition.
The eighth ingredient lists potato flour. Frequently confused with potato starch, potato flour is made from the whole potato (even the skins). Potato starch is made solely from the starch.
Potato flour actually tastes and nourishes like potatoes. Potato starch is a flavorless powder used mainly as a thickener (in canned dog foods only).
The ninth ingredient is tomato pomace. Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient… a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content… while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
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, garlic oil may be a controversial item. We say “may” here because we’re not certain of the oil’s chemical relationship to raw garlic itself.
Although the majority of experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.2
None of the relevant literature we surveyed offered any definitive guidelines regarding the use of garlic… especially in small amounts (as it is here).
Next, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
And lastly, the minerals here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
FirstMate Classic Dog Food
The Bottom Line
All things considered, the type of ingredients used to make First Mate Dog Food are mostly of above-average quality.
Yet no review can be considered complete without first consulting the product’s nutrient percentages.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 29%, a fat level of 17% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 46%.
Due to its apparent low meat protein content, we find it necessary to downgrade the company’s Trim and Light product.
Excluding the lower-rated Trim and Light product, the remaining group features an average protein content of 29% and a mean fat level of 17%.
Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 46% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Near-average fat. And near-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 Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of chicken or lamb meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a grain-free kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of FirstMate Grain Free Dog Food.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
05/09/2010 Original review
12/09/2010 Review updated
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.