Rating: 
Holistic Blend dry dog food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The Holistic Blend product line lists four dry dog foods… each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
- Holistic Blend All Stages Lamb and Rice
- Holistic Blend All Stages Chicken, Rice and Vegetable
- Holistic Blend All Stages Healthy Dog Chicken and White Fish
- Holistic Blend Grain Free Dog Food
Holistic Blend All Stages Chicken, Rice and Vegetable dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Holistic Blend All Stages Chicken Rice and Vegetable
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, whole ground brown rice, hulless barley, chicken meat, oatmeal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), potato, natural chicken flavor, sunflower oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), wild salmon meal, dried whole eggs, flax meal, yeast culture, dried kelp, tomato, carrots, pumpkin, cranberries, spinach, broccoli, green apple, blueberries, pears, bananas, rosemary extract, cinnamon, turmeric, capsicum, chamomile, dandelion, paprika, calcium carbonate, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, iron proteinate, zinc oxide, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, choline chloride, l-lysine, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, L-ascorbyl (source of vitamin C), inositol, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, beta carotene, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5.6%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 25% | 15% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 28% | 17% | 48% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 24% | 35% | 41% |
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 item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The third ingredient lists 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 fourth ingredient is 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.
The fifth 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 sixth ingredient lists 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.
The seventh item is potato. Assuming they’re whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
After the chicken flavor, we find sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is high in linoleic acid… an essential omega-6 fatty acid needed by every dog to sustain life.
But the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in a food is nutritionally critical and can vary significantly (depending on the quality of the source ingredient itself).
There are several different types of sunflower oil… some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.
The tenth ingredient includes salmon meal… another high protein meat concentrate.
We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item appears1 to be ethoxyquin-free.
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, this food does contain 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.
Holistic Blend Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Holistic Blend 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 17% and estimated carbohydrates of about 48%.
Excluding the higher-rated grain free product, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 14%.
Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 51% for the overall product line.
Near-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbs 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 a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Holistic Blend 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 nice grain-free kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Holistic Blend 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
11/05/2010 Original review
11/05/2010 Last Update
- Holistic Blend product brochure ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.