Rating: 
Freshpet Select Homestyle dog food receives the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of three stars.
The Freshpet Select Homestyle product line includes two tubbed dog foods… both designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
- Freshpet Select Homestyle Chicken, Vegetable and Rice Recipe
- Freshpet Select Homestyle Lamb, Vegetable and Barley Recipe
Freshpet Select Homestyle Chicken, Vegetable and Rice Recipe was selected to represent both products for this review.
Freshpet Select Homestyle Chicken, Vegetable and Rice
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken broth, chicken, eggs, carrots, ground oats, chicken liver, brown rice, peas, salt, guar gum, natural flavors, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, niacin, biotin, riboflavin supplement, manganous oxide, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, calcium carbonate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, niacin, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, thiamine mononitrate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken broth. Broths are nutritionally empty. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The second item includes chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The third ingredient includes eggs… a desirable addition. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The fourth ingredient mentions carrots. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient lists oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The sixth item lists is chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, chicken liver is a beneficial component.
The seventh item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The eighth ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
Guar gum is a gelling (or thickening) agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.
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.
Freshpet Select Homestyle Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Although we label it a canned dog food, Freshpet Select Homestyle is actually a stew-like recipe sold in refrigerated tubs.
And judging by its ingredients alone, this product appears to be an above-average wet food.
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 27%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 47%.
Both products report the same nutrient percentages as our chicken example.
Below-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical canned dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a fresh refrigerated food containing a fair amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Freshpet Select Homestyle is a plant-based wet dog food using a moderate amount of chicken or lamb as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.
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 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
08/20/2010 Original review
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.
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