Rating: 
Life’s Abundance dry dog food earns the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
The Life’s Abundance product line includes two dry dog foods… one meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages and the other for adult maintenance (Weight Loss Formula).
- Life’s Abundance Premium Health Food for Puppies and Adults
- Life’s Abundance Weight Loss Formula for Adult Dogs
Life’s Abundance Premium Health Food for Puppies and Adults was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Life's Abundance Premium Health for Puppies and Adults
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, ground brown rice, oat groats, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E), dried beet pulp, brewers dried yeast, flaxseed meal, natural flavors, dried egg product, catfish meal, potassium chloride, salt, l-lysine, canola oil, dl-methionine, calcium carbonate, monosodium phosphate, dried carrots, dried celery, dried beets, dried parsley, dried lettuce, dried watercress, dried blueberries, dried broccoli, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium thermophilum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, pomegranate extract, ascorbic acid, vitamin E supplement, inositol, niacin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, biotin, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, citric acid, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, zinc proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganese sulfate, ferrous sulfate, iron proteinate, zinc oxide, copper proteinate, selenium yeast, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, potassium iodide
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.9%
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 item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient… a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
The third ingredient includes oat groats… a whole grain, minimally processed form of oats. So long as they are adequately cooked, groats are unusually high in nutritional value.
The fourth 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. Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is a quality ingredient.
The fifth ingredient is dried beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
The sixth ingredient includes brewers dried yeast. Brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient contains about 45% protein… and is rich in other healthy nutrients.
Many also believe yeast repels fleas and supports a dog’s immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
What’s more, a vocal minority insist yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, we feel yeast should be considered a nutritious addition.
The seventh ingredient is flaxseed meal… one of the best plant-based sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flax meal is particularly rich in soluble fiber.
After the natural flavors, we find dried egg product… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary greatly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries… from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The tenth ingredient mentions catfish meal… another protein-rich 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 three notable exceptions…
First, canola oil is another controversial item. Most applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content… while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.2
Next, 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.
And lastly, 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.
Life’s Abundance Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Life’s Abundance appears to be a very good dry 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 29%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 45%.
The two products together feature an average protein content of 30%% and a mean fat level of 15%. These figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 47% for the overall product line.
Near-average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates as 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 notable amount of meat.
What’s more, due to its unusually high meat protein content, Life’s Abundance Weight Loss Formula offers one of the best designs of its type we’ve reviewed to date.
Bottom line?
Life’s Abundance is primarily a grain-based dry dog food using a notable amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a quality wet food to go with this product may wish to visit our review of Life’s Abundance 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 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
04/01/2010 Original review
10/02/2010 Review updated
10/04/2010 Review updated (ethoxyquin-free)
- Life’s Abundance Customer Service via email, 10/4/2010 ↩
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005) ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.