Rating: 
Innova Dry Dog Food earns the Advisor’s above-average rating of 4 stars.
The Innova product line includes 11 dry dog foods, five claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance, two for puppies and four for all life stages.
The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review.
- Innova Puppy
- Innova Senior Plus
- Innova Senior (3 stars)
- Innova Adult Small Bites
- Innova Adult Large Bites
- Innova Adult Large Breed
- Innova Puppy Large Breed
- Innova Senior Large Breed
- Innova Red Meat Small Bites
- Innova Red Meat Large Bites
- Innova Adult Low Fat (3 stars)
Innova Adult Large Bites Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Innova Adult Large Bites
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Turkey, chicken, chicken meal, barley, brown rice, potato, rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E), flaxseed, natural flavors, herring, apple, carrot, pumpkin egg, sunflower oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E), sea salt, potassium chloride, herring oil, cottage cheese, alfalfa sprouts, vitamins (ascorbic acid, vitamin E supplement, betaine, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, beta carotene, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, folic acid), minerals (zinc proteinate, calcium carbonate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, calcium iodate), direct fed microbials (dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product), lecithin, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2.8%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 24% | 14% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 27% | 16% | 50% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 23% | 33% | 44% |
The first two ingredients in this dog food are turkey and chicken. Although it’s a quality item, raw poultry 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 account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The third ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The fourth ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index, barley can help support more stable blood sugar levels.
The fifth item is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The sixth item is potato. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The seventh ingredient is rice. Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.
The eight 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. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The ninth ingredient is flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
The tenth ingredient includes herring. Herring is a fatty marine fish naturally high in protein as well as 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 affect the overall rating of this product.
With 3 notable exceptions…
First, the company 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.
Next, herring oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, herring oil should be considered a commendable addition.
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.
Innova Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Innova Dog Food looks 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 27%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 50%.
Due to their notably lower protein and fat content, we’ve assumed the Senior and Adult Low Fat recipes to be light on meat content — and thus downgraded these foods to 3 stars.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 26% and a mean fat level of 13%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 52% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 52%.
Below-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-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?
Innova Dry Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of named meats and meals as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a comparable wet food from the same company may wish to check out our review of Innova Canned 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? Oor maybe the review itself? Please know we welcome your comments.
Other spellings: Inova
Notes and Updates
11/22/2009 Original review
06/22/2010 Review updated
04/27/2012 Last Update
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.