Rating: 
Loyall Dog Food receives the Advisor’s slightly below-average rating of 2.5 stars.
The Loyall Dog Food product line lists eight kibbles… six designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance and two for growth (Puppy formulas).
- Loyall Puppy Formula 25/10
- Loyall Puppy Formula 31/20
- Loyall Lite Formula 16/7 (1 star)
- Loyall Active Adult Formula 26/19
- Loyall Professional Formula 31/20
- Loyall High Performance Formula 24/20
- Loyall Adult Maintenance Formula 21/14
- Loyall Lamb Meal and Rice Formula 23/14
Loyall High Performance Formula 24/20 dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Loyall High Performance
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Poultry by-product meal, ground whole corn, brewers rice, poultry fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), ground whole wheat, dried plain beet pulp, natural chicken flavor, whole flaxseed, dried egg product, extracted hydrolyzed citric acid fermentation presscake dehydrated, bentonite, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, menhaden fish meal, salt, sodium hexametaphosphate, propionic acid (for freshness), vitamins (vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), minerals (zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, zinc amino acid complex, iron amino acid complex, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, manganese amino acid complex, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, sodium selenite), brewers dried yeast, Yucca schidigera extract, mixed tocopherols, citric acid, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is poultry by-product meal… a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. It’s made from what’s left of slaughtered poultry after all the prime cuts have been removed.
In a nutshell, poultry by-products are those unsavory and inedible leftovers deemed “unfit for human consumption”. However, Loyall claims this particular meal is made from by-products that do not contain beaks or feet.
We consider poultry by-products slightly lower in quality than a single-species ingredient (like chicken by-products).
On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh poultry.
The second item is corn. Corn is an inexpensive and controversial cereal grain of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
For this reason, we do not consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The third ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice.
This is an inexpensive cereal grain by-product and not considered a quality ingredient.
The fourth item is poultry fat. Poultry fat is obtained from rendering… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Poultry fat is high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. However, we consider poultry fat lower in quality than a single-species item (like chicken fat).
The fifth ingredient is wheat. Wheat is another problematic grain and subject to the same issues as corn (previously discussed).
The sixth item is 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.
After the natural flavors, we find 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 ninth ingredient is dried egg product… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. 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.
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 five notable exceptions…
First, we note the inclusion of menhaden fish meal… another high protein meat concentrate. Menhaden are small ocean fish related to herring. They are rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
Unfortunately, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative in fish meals.
But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, the chemical does not have to be reported to consumers.
We find no public assurances from the company this product is ethoxyquin-free.
Without knowing more, and based upon this fish meal’s location on the list of ingredients, we would expect to find only a trace of ethoxyquin in this product.
Next, we note 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.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the 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.
Thirdly, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Fourthly, 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.
And lastly, this Loyall dog food product also contains menadione… a controversial form of vitamin K linked to liver toxicity, allergies and the abnormal break-down of red blood cells.
Loyall Dog Food… the Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Loyall Dog Food looks to be a below-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 26%, a fat level of 22% and estimated carbohydrates of about 44%.
Due to the apparent limited meat content of the Lite Formula, we have elected to downgrade this particular product to a lower category.
Excluding the lower rated Lite recipe, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 18%.
Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 46% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
When you consider the plant-based protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal in many of the recipes, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Loyall Dog Food is a grain-based kibble using a moderate amount of poultry by-product meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand 2.5 stars.
Not recommended.
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
04/20/2010 Original review
11/20/2010 Review updated
04/10/2011 Upgraded to 2.5 stars (due to half star capability)
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.
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