Rating: 
Hound and Gatos Canned Dog Food earns the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.
The Hound and Gatos product line includes eight canned dog foods, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.
- Hound and Gatos Beef
- Hound and Gatos Pork
- Hound and Gatos Trout
- Hound and Gatos Lamb
- Hound and Gatos Rabbit
- Hound and Gatos Salmon
- Hound and Gatos Chicken
- Hound and Gatos Lamb, Chicken, Salmon
Hound and Gatos Beef Recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.
Hound and Gatos Beef Recipe
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Beef, water, xanthan gum, potassium chloride, tricalcium phosphate, cassia gum, choline chloride, guar gum, salt, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, riboflavin supplement, selenium yeast, kelp, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, potassium iodide, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 10% | 8% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 46% | 36% | 10% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 32% | 61% | 7% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Beef is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The third ingredient is xanthan gum is a food additive used here as a thickener to create gravy-like consistency.
The fourth ingredient is potassium chloride, a nutritional supplement sometimes used as a replacement for the sodium found in table salt.
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, this recipe contains selenium yeast. Unlike the more common inorganic form of selenium (sodium selenite), this natural yeast supplement is considered a safer anti-cancer alternative.
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.
Hound and Gatos Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Hound and Gatos Canned Dog Food appears to be an above average canned product.
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 46%, a fat level of 36% and estimated carbohydrates of about 10%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 47% and a mean fat level of 35%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 10% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 74%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a canned product containing a significant amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Hound and Gatos Canned Dog Food is a meat-based wet product using a significant amount of various named meats as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a limited ingredient diet may benefit from the simple components used in this design.
However, with a fat to protein ratio about 90%, the chicken and pork recipes may not be appropriate for every dog.
Special Alert
Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.
A Final Word
The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.
Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.
Each review is offered in good faith and has been 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 analyze each product, please 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 qualified veterinary professional for help.
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Notes and Updates
12/12/2012 Original review
12/12/2012 Last Update
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
