Rating: 
Horizon Complete Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
Currently, the Horizon Complete product line includes five kibbles… four meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance and one for growth (Complete Puppy).
- Horizon Complete Adult
- Horizon Complete Puppy
- Horizon Complete Senior
- Horizon Complete Large Breed Adult
- Horizon Complete Large Breed Puppy
Horizon Complete Large Breed Puppy was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Horizon Complete Large Breed Puppy
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, whole grain barley, whole grain oats, chicken, whole grain rye, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, source of vitamin E,) pea fibre, flaxseed, egg product, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, source of vitamin E), carrots, apples, alfalfa meal, calcium carbonate, broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, blueberries, l-lysine, choline, salt, dicalcium phosphate, fructooligosaccharides, dl-methionine, dried saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation extract, Yucca schidigera extract, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, pineapple, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried Rhizopus oryzae fermentation extract, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium bifidum fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, biotin, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), ferrous sulphate, iron proteinate, zinc sulphate, zinc proteinate, manganous oxide, maganese proteinate, copper sulphate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, magnesium oxide
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
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 lists whole oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fourth item lists 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 20% of its original weight.
To reflect its lighter mass, this item should more accurately occupy a lower position on the list.
The fifth ingredient is rye. Rye is a cereal grain nutritionally similar to barley.
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 ingredient is pea fiber… a mix of soluble and insoluble plant fiber derived from pea hulls. It is probably used here to add bulk.
In addition to the usual benefits of fiber, pea fiber can account for a trace of extra protein in this food.
The eighth ingredient is flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flax seeds are rich in soluble fiber.
The company assures us these seeds are ground into flax meal before processing.
The salmon oil listed here is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids… essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.
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 have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.
With two notable exceptions…
The manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
This dog food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to amino acids. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are generally found in better dog foods.
Horizon Complete Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Horizon Complete appears to be a very good dog 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 31%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 45%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 30% and an average fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest an overall carbohydrate content of 47% for the full product line.
Average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
With no evidence of any plant-based protein concentrates, this is the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
But boasting human-grade components and virtually no Red Flag ingredients, Horizon Complete is entitled to a higher rating.
Bottom line?
Horizon Complete is essentially a grain-based dry kibble using a moderate amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a higher-rated grain-free kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Horizon Legacy 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 brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
07/14/2010 Original review
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.